2025 SUPREME COURT OF LIBERIA DECISION
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Speaker J. Fonati Koffa Bill of Information (04/23/2025)
The law and politics are intrinsically interconnected, the former, that is the law, being the tool with binding effect and the latter, politics, being the activities associated with the governance of the state that rely on the usage of the law to achieve its objectives. This relationship for the purpose of properly governing the State is clearly articulated under Article 2 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, which states, “…the Constitution is the Supreme and fundamental law of Liberia and its provisions shall have binding force and effect on all authorities and persons throughout the Republic”. The Constitution, as the Read more →
URBAN MARKETING INC. vs. JOHN H. TUBMAN (02/18/2025)
The sanctity of contracts is a fundamental principle in both legal and economic frameworks, ensuring that agreements are legally binding and enforceable. From an economic perspective, this principle is crucial for fostering stability, predictability, and trust in commercial and financial transactions. This principle is deeply rooted in the organic law of this jurisdiction, the Constitution, as enshrined in Article 25 thereof, which states: “Obligation of contract shall be guaranteed by the Republic and no laws shall be passed which might impair this right”. This provision of the Constitution finds firm support in the decisional laws espoused by Supreme Court. Except Read more →
SAMUEL Y. JOHNSON vs. Cllr. MOIFEE KANNEH GEC REPORT (02/18/2025)
The Supreme Court pursuant to its authority to regulate the practice of law established the Grievance and Ethics Committee to investigate complaints regarding the ethical breach and violations of the Code for the Moral and Professional Ethics for lawyers practicing before courts across the length and breadth of the Republic of Liberia, as to their character, integrity, professional standing or conduct. Taking judicial notice of the mandate of the Grievance and Ethics Committee to investigate complaints filed by divers individuals regarding the alleged ethical misconduct by lawyers directly or indirectly involved in the practice of law across the Republic of Read more →
Blamo Morris Tamba VS. MAGISTRATE ERIC N. COOPER JIC REPORT (02/18/2025)
The Supreme Court via the Judicial Inquiry Commission, (JIC) the arm of the Court authorized by the Judicial Cannons to conduct investigation and submit finding(s) and/or recommendation(s) as regards alleged ethical misconduct of Judges and/or Magistrates, has from its inception been unwavering in its quest to expeditiously dispose of cases regarding the alleged breach of the Judicial Cannons by Judges and Magistrates; that in instances where the allegations contained in letters of complaint are proven as per the dictates of the law, the appropriate punishment is meted out against the Judge and/or Magistrate to whom the alleged ethical misconduct is Read more →
ASSOCIATE MAGISTRATES THERESA W. DERMIE AND KISH-TROKON BEADEH vs. Cllr. FRANK MUSAH DEAN, JR. AND Atty. ORLANDO TAMBA GEC REPORT (02/18/2025)
Article 75 of the Constitution of Liberia (1986) grants the Supreme Court the exclusive authority to regulate the practice of law in this jurisdiction. In consonance with its constitutional mandate to regulate the practice of law, the Supreme Court holds the power to censure, suspend, or disbar any attorney or counselor-at-law who is found guilty of professional misconduct, malpractice, fraud, deceit, criminal activity, or any behavior detrimental to the administration of justice. Judiciary Law, Rev. Code 17:17.7(1). Pursuant to the aforementioned authority of the Supreme Court as prescribed by law, all complaints of impropriety, ethical misconduct or malpractice against a Read more →
Jane Hodge Davis v. Maria Yangbe (02/18/2025)
This appeal grew out of an action of ejectment instituted by the appellee herein, Maria D. Johnson Yangbe, through her husband, M. Kron Yangbe, filed on January 30, 2014, before the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court for Montserrado County against the appellant, Gertrude Hodge. The appellee’s five-count ejectment action alleged substantially that the appellant had encroached upon her one acre of land lying and situated on Duport Road, Paynesville City, Montserrado County, Liberia, which the appellee had purchased from the Republic of Liberia in 1964 before traveling to the United States of America. Appellee further averred that upon her Read more →
JAMES KOLLIE V. HER HON. SERENA GARLAWOLU ET AL(02/18/2025)
This is an appeal from a chambers’ ruling rendered by our distinguished colleague, Mr. Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, Sr., then presiding in chambers, granting a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari prayed for by the appellee, James Kollie. The facts in this case show that the grand jury of Montserrado County, sitting in the August A.D. 2020 Term of Court, indicted the appellee for the crime of Statutory Rape. Regular trial was had in the case, and the trial jury sitting therein returned a Hung Verdict, in which seven (7) of the twelve (12) trial jurors voted not guilty, and Read more →
Consolidated Group Inc. v. SATCOM et. al. (02/18/2025)
On November 4, 2019, Consolidated Group Inc., the appellant herein, by and thru its Chief Executive Officers, Mr. Simeon Freeman, instituted an action of damages for wrong by attachment against NANASAT Digital Television, SATCOM Communication Services, K3 Telecom Liberia, and Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) as defendants, seeking to recover damages totaling US$5.1 million for injury/losses it sustained as a result of the defendants' infringement of its content rights granted to it by Multi Choice Africa and Super Sports, to screen live broadcasts of the English Premier League and Spanish Football, La Liga Football games, in Liberia. In its twenty-seven (27) Read more →
Victoria Sirleaf vs. MAGISTRATE JAMES F. DUDU JIC REPORT (02/17/2025)
On July 24, 2023, Madam Victoria Sirleaf filed a letter of complaint with the Office of the Chief Justice, Her Honor Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh, against Magistrate James F. Dudu of the Bushrod Island Magisterial Court alleging that for over thirty-four years she has lived at her residence located on Bushrod Island, Montserrado County, without interference from anyone; that on December 5, 2022, Magistrate James F. Dudu ordered her eviction from her property without according her due process in an action of summary proceedings to recover possession of real property filed by Dabah Sarnor against her and all those occupying the Read more →
MR. BALLAH V. YARBO AGAINST COUNSELLOR SAMUEL PEARSON (GEC Report) (02/17/2025)
The genesis of this complaint is traced to the demise of Maime Hayford Pearson, the late wife of J. Henric Pearson, a resident of Montserrado County, Liberia. Madam Maime Hayford Pearson died seized of properties, real and personal, including monies she deposited into her accounts maintained at the United Bank of Africa (UBA) and the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI), respectively, during her life time, but leaving no will and last testament. Ballah Yargbo, the complainant, and son of the late Maime Hayford Pearson, not satisfied with the manner in which his late mother’s estate, especially, monies deposited Read more →
Ma Bendu Kamara v. Margaret Stubblefield et. al (02/17/2025)
The present appeal emanates from the final ruling of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court, Montserrado County, in an action of ejectment filed by the present appellees, Ma Bendu Kamara and Children against the present appellants, the Intestate Estate of Margaret B. Stubblefield et. al, in which final ruling, the trial judge presiding by assignment, His Honor Johannes Z. Zlahn (of sainted memory) affirmed the verdict of the jury in favor of the appellees, Ma Bendu Kamara et. al, adjudging the appellants, the Intestate Estate of Margaret B. Stubblefield et al liable in damages for their wrongful withholding of Read more →
Meridian BIAO Lib. Ltd. v. Cllr. Benedict Sannoh (02/17/2025)
This matter comes before us from the Debt Court for Montserrado County on account of a judgment rendered in favor of the Appellee, Counselor Benedict F. Sannoh in the tone of US$163,800(One Hundred Sixty Three Thousand Eight Hundred US Dollars) against the appellant, the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), which took seized of Meridian BIAO Bank Liberia Limited under a Receivership. It is from the final judgment of the Debt Court that the appellant excepted and announced an appeal before this court en banc. In order to get a full appreciation of the history of this matter, we take recourse Read more →
John F. Kennedy Medical Center v. Karen G. Sehkehporh(02/17/2025)
In August 2020, Karen Gaydou Sehkehporh, appellee herein filed a twenty-two (22) count complaint action of damages for wrong in the Sixth Judicial Circuit Civil Law Court, Montserrado County, alleging that the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, appellant herein, had, thru its doctors, acted negligently in conducting a surgery on her person which led to multiple life threatening complications which forced her to undergo subsequent tests and multiple other surgeries at varying medical facilities which caused her huge financial constraints and caused her huge mental anguish and emotional distress and has left her in a state of mental and physical Read more →
JUDICIAL INQUIRY COMMISSION REPORT ON JUDGE SCHEAPLOR R. DUNBAR (02/17/2025)
Mr. Christopher A. Gittens filed a complaint before the then Chief Justice, His Honor Francis S. Korkpor, Sr., against His Honor Judge Scheaplor R. Dunbar, then assigned at Circuit Judge, Civil Law Court, Montserrado County. In his complaint, he alleged that in November 2018, the respondent judge ruled in his favor in an ejectment case involving 25 acres of land; pursuant to the ruling, the court placed the complainant in possession of the property with the aid of the Liberia National Police; that to his utmost surprise, the respondent judge reversed the said ruling, dispossess him and turned the property Read more →
IN RE GEC INVESTIGATION ON CLLR. SAYCHEE SOKAN(02/17/2025)
On the 3rd day of July, A. D. 2023, the complainant, Mrs. Stephanie Randall, filed a complaint before the Chief Justice of the Honorable Supreme Court against Counselor Denise S. Sokan. The complainant alleged in her complaint that she hired the legal services of Counselor Denise S. Sokan to represent her interest in divorce proceedings instituted against her by her husband, Mr. Augustine P. Randall, Jr. She further averred that during the hearing of the matter, Cllr. Sokan exhibited a lack of critical communication and other acts of incompetence that affected the outcome of the proceedings; the court records retrieved Read more →
IN RE GEC INVESTIGATION ON CLLR. SANNOH (02/17/2025)
On November 28, 2022, the Concerned Citizens of Gola Konneh District, Grand Cape Mount County, filed a complaint with Her Honor Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Liberia, against Counsellor Benedict F. Sannoh, alleging unethical conduct. The complaint substantially averred that Counsellor Sannoh misled some of the people of Gola Konneh District into believing that the chiefs and elders of the said district have the legal capacity to enter into a legal retainer agreement with him on behalf of their district, that the respondent charged the complainant exorbitant fees, 20% of any amount Read more →
IN RE GEC INVESTIGATION ON CLLR. KRUAH (02/17/2025)
Madam Josephine T. Power, alleging violation of some provisions of the Code for the Moral and Ethical Conduct of Lawyers, filed a complaint with the Office of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia against Counsellor Cooper W. Kruah. As an established norm of the Court, the Chief Justice forwarded this complaint to the Judiciary's Grievance and Ethics Committee (GEC) to probe into the same and make recommendations, if necessary, as to their findings based on their investigation in accordance with due process of law. The Grievance and Ethics Committee (GEC) wrote to Counselor Cooper W. Kruah, bringing Read more →
GEC Report on Cllrs. Dempter Brown & Nigba (02/17/2025)
This case originates from a complaint of Sexual Exploitation, harassment and Abuse (SEA) filed before Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) of Liberia, by Mrs. Beatrice Wesseh, a staff of the (INCHR), against Attorney Mohammed E. Fahnbulleh, a commissioner, also of the INCHR. Upon an investigation conducted by the team commissioned by authorities of the INHCR, it found Commissioner Fahnbulleh liable and recommended that he be reprimanded consistent with the Code of Conduct. Not satisfied with the manner in which the report from the investigation was handled by Counsellor T. Dempster Brown, as head of the INCHR, and Counsellor Read more →
Benetta Pearson-Cooper et al v Milton D Taylor (02/17/2025)
When this case was called for a hearing, the counsel representing the plaintiffs-in-error, Benetta Pearson-Cooper et al., was absent. Upon Inquiry, the Clerk of the Court informed the Court that Counsellor Laveli Supuwood verbally informed the Clerk that he had a stomach complain and would return for the hearing after attending to his stomach issue. The Court invoked Rule IV Part 6 of the Revised Rule of the Supreme Court, which states in part that “…If, when the case is again called for hearing, the party or counsel again fails to appear or file a brief, the Court shall proceed Read more →
Atty. Lamii Kpargoi v. His Honor Scheaplor R. Dunbar (02/17/2025)
The facts as culled from the records reveal that Attorney Lamii Kpargoi, appellant herein, filed a petition for legitimization of Tenneh F. Kpargoi, a minor who he claims to be his child in the monthly and probate court for Montserrado County, seeking to legitimize the child as his for all legal and beneficial intents and purposes. The child’s mother, Miss Beatrice Kemokai, appellee herein, filed an objection to the said petition for legitimization by and thru her attorneys-in-fact, Yatta Walker, Emmanuel Hoff and Runetta P. Scott because she is out of the bailiwick of Liberia. The appellant in his petition Read more →
