–As Court, Police Remain Tight-lip on Enforcement Amidst Outcries
IPNEWS: There are signs that the enforcement for possession by the Supreme Court to evict the former ruling Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), might just another fairytale.
The administrators of the late Martha Stubblefield Bernard’s estate, led by Mr. Ebrima V. Dempster, are now calling on the Liberian government to enforce a Supreme Court order to evict the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) from the property that has housed its national headquarters for nearly two decades.
In a press release issued on Monday, the estate urged immediate government intervention to uphold the rule of law.
“The Intestate Estate of Martha Stubblefield Bernard is therefore appealing to the Government of the Republic of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice and the Liberian National Police to provide police protection to the Sheriff of the Civil Law Court for the eviction of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) in keeping with the mandate of the Supreme Court of Liberia,” the release states. “Our property is more than just land and a building; it symbolizes the legacy of peace, unity, and development that should be preserved, not undermined.”
The estate administrators, headed by Mr. Ebrima V. Dempster, disclosed that the Liberia National Police has reneged on providing the necessary police support to enforce the repossession of the property. They noted that on August 19, the Civil Law Court wrote to the Inspector General of Police, Col. Gregory Coleman, to provide police support; however, the court’s communication has yet to be adhered to by the Inspector General, they alleged.
In a swift response, the CDC vows to resist an order from the Court order to evict the party from its historic and ideally located national headquarters in Sinkor.
CDC Secretary General, Jefferson Koijee made it clear that the CDC would resist what he termed as an alleged imaginary eviction, which he blamed on President Joseph Boakai.
The former ruling party is on the verge of losing the grounds that hosts its headquarters for about two decades with the recent eviction order by the Civil Law Court at the Temple of Justice.
Recall that the Civil Law Court over the weekend issued a Writ of Possession in favor of Martha Stubblefield-Barnard, directing the eviction of the CDC from the disputed Congo Town property.
The party has been occupying the Barnard property since its formation under a lease agreement, which has recently come under dispute between opposing family factions.
In 2015, the case escalated to the Supreme Court of Liberia after the CDC failed to pay US$50,000 in rent owed to its landlords, resulting in a court mandate to settle the debt.
The latest legal decision has been met with serious dissatisfaction, anger, and resistance from supporters and executives of the major opposition political party of former President George Manneh Weah.
Following the Court’s order, Mr. Koijee took to his official Facebook page, revealing that he had received numerous calls from across the counties and abroad, from partisans, sympathizers, and concerned Liberians, about the party being evicted.
“We want to assure every CDCian at home and abroad, as well as concerned citizens and our international partners, that the CDC cannot and will not be imaginarily evicted by Mr. Boakai’s effortless attempt to erase the CDC,” he emphasized.
Koijee stressed that the CDC would not budge an inch from its headquarters under the remaining five years of the Unity Party regime, urging his partisans to “go to bed.”
He further accused the current government of practicing anti-democratic measures and silencing critical voices, particularly the CDC, for highlighting bad governance and the administration’s alleged failure to address issues such as high unemployment, poverty, deplorable roads, electricity, sanitation, and youth empowerment, among others.
“The party’s leadership is in full control and remains in good standing. As Mr. Boakai continues to weaponize the court, it is indeed tantamount to having him evicted from the presidency,” he asserted.
A day later, scores of CDC partisans gathered at the court-ordered evicted headquarters, chanting battle cries such as, “What they’re looking for, they will get,” and “They’re men, they’re not God.”
Members of the party were also seen camping overnight at the headquarters following the court’s eviction order. They paraded around a blazing fire in a circular formation, continuing to chant their party’s slogans and battle cries.
