# Chea Cheapoo
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{{Short description|Liberian judge (1942–2020)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Chea Cheapoo
| image = CheaCheapoo.png
| image_size =
| caption =
| office = [15th](/source/Chief_Justice_of_Liberia) [Chief Justice of Liberia](/source/Chief_Justice_of_Liberia)
| term_start = July 1987
| term_end = 2 December 1987
| nominator = [Samuel Doe](/source/Samuel_Doe)
| appointer =
| predecessor = [James N. Nagbe](/source/James_N._Nagbe)
| successor = [Emmanuel Gbalazeh](/source/Emmanuel_Gbalazeh)
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1942|11|2}}
| birth_place = Kiteabo, [Webbo District](/source/Webbo_District), [Grand Gedeh County](/source/Grand_Gedeh_County), [Liberia](/source/Liberia)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|9|16|1942|11|2|df=y}}
| death_place = Caldwell, [New Georgia](/source/New_Georgia%2C_Liberia), [Montserrado County](/source/Montserrado_County), Liberia
| alma_mater = [Booker Washington Institute](/source/Booker_Washington_Institute)
[North Carolina Central University](/source/North_Carolina_Central_University)
| spouse =
}}
'''Chea Cheapoo, Sr.''' (2 November 1942 – 16 September 2020) was a [Liberia](/source/Liberia)n [politician](/source/politician) who served as the [15th](/source/Chief_Justice_of_Liberia) [chief justice of Liberia](/source/Chief_Justice_of_Liberia) from July 1987 until his [impeachment](/source/impeachment) and removal from office on December 2 of that year. His full rights were later restored by an act of legislature.
== Early life and education ==
Cheapoo was born on 2 November 1942[{{Cite web|date=2020-09-17|title=Chea Cheapo Is Dead|url=https://www.liberianobserver.com/news/chea-cheapo-is-dead/|access-date=2020-09-27|website=[Liberian Observer](/source/Liberian_Observer)|language=en-US}}] which was located in the former [Webbo District](/source/Webbo_District) of [Grand Gedeh County](/source/Grand_Gedeh_County). He studied first at the [Assembly of God](/source/Assemblies_of_God) school in [Pleebo](/source/Pleebo), then at [Monrovia](/source/Monrovia) College. In 1961, he earned a diploma in [bookkeeping](/source/bookkeeping) from the [Booker Washington Institute](/source/Booker_Washington_Institute).[{{Cite book|last1=Dunn|first1=D. Elwood.|title=Historical dictionary of Liberia|last2=Beyan|first2=Amos Jones|last3=Burrowes|first3=Carl Patrick|date=2001|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-1-4616-5931-0|edition=2nd|location=Lanham, MD|pages=65–66|oclc=860625596}}] He graduated from the [North Carolina Central University School of Law](/source/North_Carolina_Central_University_School_of_Law) in 1970.[{{Cite journal|date=1974-01-01|title=1974 Alumni Directory|url=https://archives.law.nccu.edu/alumni-directories/1|journal=North Carolina Central University School of Law}}]
== Entry into politics ==
After earning his law degree, Cheapoo returned to Liberia and joined the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He later became an assistant minister in the [Ministry of Justice](/source/Ministry_of_Justice_(Liberia)).[{{cite news| title = Liberia: In Brief; Dismissal of Justice Minister | newspaper = BBC| date = September 4, 1981}}] In early 1980, he served as a spokesman for its successor, the Progressive People's Party (PPP).["PPP Reaffirms Confidence". ''The Sunday People'' 1980-01-13: 8.] That same year, the ruling Whigs banned the PPP; Cheapoo and other party leaders were imprisoned on charges of treason.[{{cite news| title = Liberia: In Brief; People's Courts | newspaper = BBC| date = May 12, 1980}}] However, Cheapoo was removed from his position and arrested in September 1981 after being accused of stockpiling arms without permission of the PRC.[{{cite news| title = General, In Brief: Release from detention of former Liberian Justice Minister | newspaper = BBC| date = September 29, 1981}}]
Following the resignation of Chief Justice [James N. Nagbe](/source/James_N._Nagbe) in June 1987, Cheapoo was appointed by President [Samuel Doe](/source/Samuel_Doe) as Chief Justice.[{{cite news| title = WEST AFRICA: IN BRIEF; Liberia House of Representatives presents bill for impeachment of Chief Justice | newspaper = BBC| date = November 19, 1987}}][{{cite news| title = Liberia Senate impeaches Chief Justice Cheapoo | newspaper = BBC| date = December 4, 1987}}] Soon after taking office, he was accused of illegally ordering the arrest of a probate judge and his wife, Harper S. Bailey and Muna Stubblefield,["Senate Pulls Chair from Under Cheapoo". ''Daily Star'' 1987-12-03: 1/7.] whom he stated had tried to bribe him with $2,000. Amid the resulting controversy, he accused President Doe of unconstitutionally releasing the couple in question,["Doe Violated Constitution Says Cheapoo". ''SunTimes'' 1987-11-24: 1/6.] but he submitted to President Doe his resignation on 10 November 1987,["Cheapoo Abandons Bench". ''SunTimes'' 1987-11-11: 1/6.] but Doe rejected it and called for him to be punished with the removal of his citizenship.["Cheapoo To Lose Citizenship?" ''SunTimes'' 1987-11-13: 1/6.] Consequently, he was impeached by the [House of Representatives](/source/House_of_Representatives_of_Liberia) later in the month, and the [Senate](/source/Senate_of_Liberia) convicted him and removed him from office on 2 December on charges of violating the [Constitution](/source/Constitution_of_Liberia) while in office.["Senator Menyongai Rejects One Count in Cheapoo Verdict". ''SunTimes'' 1987-12-03: 1/6.]
Cheapoo was the first government official to be impeached in Liberia's history.["Crowd Cheer Cheapoo at Court". ''SunTimes'' 1987-12-04: 1/6.] and the [Montserrado County](/source/Montserrado_County) bar association voted to boycott Judge Bailey's courtroom until his removal.["Lawyers Resolve to Boycott Court". ''SunTimes'' 1987-12-04: 1/6.]
== Postwar activities ==
The Transitional Legislature of Liberia passed a resolution to restore Cheapoo's rights and privileges as a citizen of Liberia on 12 July 1994.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}} He later became Chairman of the Liberia National Conference, which represented unarmed citizens in the [Abuja Accord](/source/Abuja_Accord_(Liberia)) that ended the [First Liberian Civil War](/source/First_Liberian_Civil_War).[{{Cite web|date=19 August 1995|title=Abuja Peace Agreement to Supplement the Cotonou and Akosombo Agreements as subsequently clarified by the Accra Agreement|url=https://www.peaceagreements.org/view/194|access-date=2020-10-09|website=PA-X: Peace Agreements Database}}] He testified before the [Truth and Reconciliation Commission](/source/Truth_and_Reconciliation_Commission_(Liberia)) in 2008 about the events of the 1980 coup, including unsubstantiated claims of CIA involvement contradicted by his former colleagues.[{{Cite web|date=4 August 2008|title=Hearing Videos - Last Name 'C'|url=http://www.trcofliberia.org/videosets/1/linitial/C/2.html|website=[Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia](/source/Truth_and_Reconciliation_Commission_(Liberia))}}][{{Cite web|date=6 August 2008|title=UNMIL Public Information Office Complete Media Summaries|url=http://www.rscsl.org/Clippings/2008/2008-08/pc2008-8-8.pdf|website=United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)|page=19}}]
== Elections ==
Cheapoo participated in the [1997 general elections](/source/1997_Liberian_general_election) as the standard bearer of a reconstituted [Progressive People's Party](/source/Progressive_People's_Party_(Liberia)) (PPP). As the party's candidate for president, Cheapoo won only 0.34% of the vote, while the party failed to win any seats in the legislature.[{{Cite journal|last=Harris|first=David|date=1999|title=From 'Warlord' to 'Democratic' President: how Charles Taylor won the 1997 Liberian elections|url=https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/id/eprint/6258|journal=Journal of Modern African Studies|language=en|volume=37|issue=3|pages=431–455|via=[SOAS](/source/SOAS_University_of_London) Research Online}}] The party did not field candidates in the [2005 elections](/source/2005_Liberian_general_election).[{{Cite web|title=:: Elections 2005 ::|url=http://www.necliberia.org/results/|access-date=2020-09-27|website=[National Elections Commission](/source/National_Elections_Commission_(Liberia))}}] Cheapoo was once again the party's candidate for president in [2011](/source/2011_Liberian_general_election); he received 0.3% of the vote, and the PPP won no seats in the legislature.[{{Cite web|title=NEC Liberia :: Results 2011|url=http://www.necliberia.org/results2011/national.html|access-date=2020-09-27|website=[National Elections Commission](/source/National_Elections_Commission_(Liberia))|archive-date=2018-10-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010092014/http://www.necliberia.org/results2011/national.html|url-status=dead}}]
== Death ==
Cheapoo died at the house of one of his sons in Caldwell, [New Georgia](/source/New_Georgia%2C_Liberia), on 16 September 2020.