BY Shallon S. Gonlor

NIMBA COUNTY — The 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Sanniquellie, Nimba County is expected to finally make key judgement on Tuesday, January 16, 2024

in the long-standing Interstate Estate land dispute between the late Paye Suah by and through Fred P. Suah and the United Methodist Mission in Ganta City, Nimba County.

Land conflict stems from the foundation of Liberia between the settlers and the indigenous, but today the foremost problem is the illegal owning of land and wrongful possession.

This looming challenge prompted the enactment of the criminal conveyance law, which prohibits illegal ownership.

An estimated 90 percent of Liberia’s court civil cases are related to land rights issues.

The Court’s Resident Judge, Pape Suah on Thursday, January 11, 2024, announced Tuesday to render a final ruling after trial jurors returned a unanimous not liable verdict in favor of the Interstate Estate of the late Paye Suah by and through Fred P. Suah (plaintiff) who filed an action of ejectment at the 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Sanniquellie, Nimba County.

In a complaint filed, the Interstate Estate of the late Paye Suah by and through Fred P. Suah (Administrator) accused the Ganta United Methodist Mission of enclosing on its 267.4 acres surveyed with the deed, adding that the United Methodist only possesses 600 logs out of 800 acres.

But, responding to the action of ejectment, the Ganta United Methodist Mission administrators (Defendant), denied the claims and asserted that the property subject of the dispute is the legitimate property of the Ganta United Methodist Mission

The Ganta United Methodist Mission in support of its side of the argument presented documentary evidence including a deed, stating that the plaintiff, Fred Suah has no entitlement to claim rightful ownership.

Notwithstanding, the findings of the survey report indicate the area being claimed by Plaintiff falls within the portion of Defendant’s claimed area thus causing a dispute of ownership.

Since 2017 the circuit court has had a series of trial proceedings in the land controversy between the Interstate Estate of the late Paye Suah by and through Fred P. Suah of Ganta City on one hand and the United Methodist Mission, which both parties have been claiming ownership.

About 6 years ago, the Ganta United Methodist Mission family and the Fred Suah conflicted 267.4 acres of land out of 800 acres situated in Gbei-Sellah Town, Ganta City, Nimba County. 

Meanwhile, the final legal determination over the Interstate Estate of the late Paye Suah by and through Fred P. Suah and the Ganta United Methodist Mission land controversy after a series of presiding by judges, some of whom are retired remain the centerpiece of justice, as the Circuit Court November Term 2023 presiding judge, Pape Suah is expected to render final judgment into the matter on Tuesday, January 16, 2023.

Following the final argument on Thursday, trial jurors at the 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Sanniquellie handed down a unanimous verdict in an action of ejectment proceedings in favor of the Interstate Estate of the late Paye Suah by and through Fred P. Suah.

The court’s judgment is expected to enforce the jurors’ returned verdict, which will order the Ganta United Methodist Mission to pay compensation to Fred Suah, an administrator of the late Paye Suah’s Interstate Estate for violation of his rights in a disputed land saga in Ganta, Nimba County. 

The court will also take all necessary legal steps to restore the applicants’ rights to their ancestral home and to ensure that, in the future, a similar occurrence is avoided in compliance with the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) regulations.

At the same time, trial jurors at the Sexual Offenses Court of the 8th Judicial Circuit in Sanniquellie have handed down a majority not guilty verdict in favor of Defendant Sam Brown who allegedly raped his 12-year-old stepdaughter in Ganta City.

According to the jurors, the majority not guilty verdict is based on the ground that there was no sufficient evidence to prosecute the defendant in the cause of action before the court.

The trial, which lasted for over weeks, witnessed the Prosecuting Lawyer, Atty. Joseph Suah and Defendant Lawyer, Atty. Tarlo Wehyee parading witnesses before the court to testify.

Receiving the verdict Friday, January 12, 2024, Resident Judge, Musa Sidibey thanked the jurors for the service rendered and further disbanded them to return to their respective homes.

Judge Sidibey then ordered the clerk of court to immediately release defendant Sam Brown from the Sanniquellie Central Prison, citing the Law as his legal reliance.

It can be recalled, in late June 2023, defendant Sam Brown, 41, was arrested, charged, and forwarded to the Sanniquellie Central Prison for the commission of the crime of gang rape against his 12-year-old daughter in the Gbatu Quarter Community, in Ganta City, Nimba County.

The police preliminary investigation reveals that the 41-year-old man raped his stepdaughter, while the victim persistently complained of being raped and threatened to be killed by her stepfather, the defendant, if she tells anyone.

But, defendant Sam Brown denied having sexual intercourse with his 12-year-old stepdaughter. 

The act, according to the LNP violates Chapter 14, Section 14.70 of the revised Penal Law of the Republic of Liberia.