SANNIQUELLIE, Nimba County, October 5, 2026 — The Gompa Magisterial Court has ordered the release of former Ganta City Mayor Amos N.G. Suah from the Sanniquellie Central Prison after he was jailed for contempt of court.
The release order, issued Sunday, October 5, and signed by Stipendiary Magistrate Cllr. Sam Nya Harris, instructed the prison superintendent to immediately release Suah from custody.
“You are hereby commanded to release from your custody the living body(ies) of Amos N.G. Suah, Defendant charged and found guilty of Contempt of Court,” the order stated, adding that the directive constituted sufficient legal authority for his release.
Suah had been sentenced by the Gompa Magisterial Court to 30 days in prison and fined US$100 for contempt following public comments concerning Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay and a land dispute in Gompa City.
His imprisonment drew public criticism, including claims that the case was influenced by ethnic considerations and the Chief Justice.
The Judiciary of Liberia, however, rejected those claims over the weekend, maintaining that the magistrate acted independently and that Suah was punished for criminal contempt.
According to the Judiciary, courts have inherent authority to punish conduct that obstructs justice or undermines the authority of the judicial system.
The controversy stems from a land dispute involving the Kalefa Turay family and occupants of disputed property in Gompa City.
The Judiciary said the Turay family acquired the property through a public land sale deed in 1951 and subsequently obtained a court judgment in its favor that was not appealed.
It maintained that challenges to the judgment or its enforcement should be pursued through established legal procedures rather than public pressure or ethnic considerations.
The Judiciary also rejected attempts to link Chief Justice Gbeisay to the court’s decision, saying judicial matters should not be transformed into ethnic disputes.
While acknowledging the public’s right to criticize court decisions, the Judiciary urged dissatisfied parties to pursue available legal remedies.
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