Monrovia, Feb. 16 -- The Supreme Court of Liberia's decision to sentence controversial social commentator Justin Oldman Yeazehn, widely known as Prophet Key, to six months in prison for criminal contempt has ignited one of the most intense national debates in recent years-pitting constitutional interpretation against concerns about judicial power and equal protection under the law.

Presided over by Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, Sr., along with Associate Justices Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie, Yussif D. Kaba, Ceaineh D. Clinton Johnson, and Boakai N. Kanneh, the Court ruled that Prophet Key's repeated use of "invectives, vulgar language, profanities and outright abuse," particularly targeting the mother of the sitting Chief Justice, co...