House of Representatives. The record has this to say about President Bill
Clinton of the United States of America impeachment trial as follows:
“The Judiciary Committee held two public hearing at which scholars
and federal prosecutors testified regarding the proper grounds for
impeachment. The committee did not call any witnesses identified in the
Starr Report to testify in public, but did invite Starr to testify. They also
propounded a set of 81 written questions to the President, to which he
responded. The four articles of impeachment advanced by the
committee were based largely on the Starr Report. The full House then
approved two of the four articles of impeachment.”
113.
It can be deduced from the impeachment proceedings of the two
Presidents of the United States of America that they were both given the right
to participate in the investigative and framing of impeachment resolution at
the House of Representatives. This court further takes notice from the above
stated cases in America that, there are clear rules and procedures governing
impeachment in fulfilment and compliance with the requirements of due
process of law.
114.
The procedure followed in the instant case of impeachment in Liberia,
is devoid of primary requirements of due process of law. Firstly, there was no
identifiable committee at the House mandated to handle impeachment
investigations; secondly, there was no prescribed rules of impeachment; and
lastly, the Applicant was not involved in his investigations and compilation of
charges and evidence against him. Though the Court has held that the effect
of the first requirement was cured by the establishment of the SAC, the
material prejudicial effects of the other two on the Applicant’s case was
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