The Liberian senate has confirmed Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh as the country’s Chief Justice.
Justice Yuoh takes over from Francis Saye Korkpor who is due for retirement this month after reaching the constitutional cap of 70 years.
She becomes the third female chief justice in Liberia’s 175 years history and the first since 2003. The judiciary has remained tight-lipped on her age.
Liberia’s previous two female chief justices were Frances Johnson Allison and Gloria Musu Scott.
She ascends to the top of the judicial system barely 13 months to the next presidential and general elections. She was one of two female judges currently in the five-member Supreme Court.
Yuoh was born in Montserrado County and educated at a Catholic high school in Monrovia. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Cuttington University (1978) and a Bachelor of Laws from the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia.
Criminal court judge Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, a man, has been nominated to replace her at the court.