…. As former Associate Justice Ja’neh calls for his immediate release, threatens a mass protest
Tension has been brewing between Liberia and neighboring Guinea since news of the entry into the country of Khalif Cherif, Guinea National who has been accused of planning subversive activities in his home country.
The tension, according to top security sources, led to recent information that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai was heading to Sierra Leone to form part of high-level Mano River Union discussions with his counterparts in the region.
Cherif’s presence in Liberia sparked national security concern, leading to his recently arrested by Liberian Joint Security personnel. Reports indicate that he was apprehended by the Liberian joint-security for allegedly recruiting ex-combatants in Liberia to help him Oust the Junta-government in Guinea.
However, since his arrest and incarceration at the Monrovia Central Prison, concerns over his safety and whereabouts have also emerged. Former Associate Justice, Kabina Ja’neh, has accused the Unity Party led-government of kidnapping Cherif, who Ja’neh said is a Liberian and his client.
The former Associate Justice is calling for his release and threatening mass protests if his client is not set free promptly
Amid allegations of Cherif recruiting ex-combatants to overthrow the Junta Government in Guinea, Liberia has faced accusations of supporting subversive activities against her neighbor.
Ja’neh and his team of lawyers representing the interest of Cherif have noted that his current location is a mystery, as there is no information surrounding his whereabouts— alleging that their client has been kidnapped and probably murdered.
The renowned Lawyer claimed that Cherif is a Liberian who was born here and as such should be treated with respect and given the needed protection as a citizen—promising to rally citizens to protest against what he terms as ‘total breakdown of law and order’.
In his statement issued to the public over the weekend, Ja’neh noted, “My client, Khalifa Cherif [Sheriff] was born here, Crown Hill, Monrovia, unto two Liberian Mandingo parents. His grandfather, Imam Alhaji Mata -Saykou Sheriff of blessed memory, was one of the most respected Imams of the 50s and 60s of the Benson Street (Mas Jed) Mosque. As a nationally respected religious figure, Imam Alhaji Mata-Saykou Sheriff’s funeral was attended here in Monrovia by President William V. S. Tubman to honor the Imam’s inestimable contributions to nation building.”
Cllr. Ja’neh stated that despite Cherif’s spending most part of his childhood Guinea during the Liberian civil conflict, it does not automatically confer Guinean nationality upon him, contrary to suggestions by Liberian State Security officials.
Additionally, Ja’neh highlighted that his client’s residence was searched over six weeks ago, resulting in his arrest and the seizure of his business funds by a combined team of Liberia National Police officers and National Security Agency personnel.
He noted that the Liberia National Police officers conducted the search without presenting a warrant, and as of now, they have failed to comply with court orders directing them to return all the seized items, which include cash and two vehicles from Mr. Cherif’s premises. The instructions for the search were allegedly given by the Inspector General of Police and the Solicitor General of the Ministry of Justice.
Cllr. Ja’neh informed the media that on the early morning of Sunday, November 3, between 3 and 4 A.M., Inspector General of Police Col. Gregory Coleman, along with a team of security officers, forcibly entered the Monrovia Central Prison compound and removed Mr. Khalifa Charif without court authorization. As a result, Former Associate Justice Cllr. Kabineh Ja’neh, one of Cherif’s legal representatives, has openly accused Inspector General Coleman and the Solicitor General of Liberia of engaging in what he terms as “kidnapping,” a serious felony offense under Liberian law.
Impeccable sources told this paper that the Guinean national was turned over to the authority of Guinea and that he is not a Liberian as claimed.
Counselor Ja’neh also stated that his client’s removal from the Monrovia Central Prison was orchestrated by high-ranking National Security Officials within the Liberian Government. This action, in Ja’neh’s view, signifies a disregard for the rule of law during the Boakai Administration.
As a result, Ja’neh has pledged to ensure Cherif’s prompt release in accordance with the court’s directive. He has further indicated his intention to coordinate public demonstrations against National Security officers due to perceived lapses in upholding court orders within the present administration.
“The demonstrations against police officers will continue, according to Cllr. Ja’neh, until the court’s orders releasing Mr. Charif, are FULLY COMPLIED WITH,” Cllr. Ja’neh said.
This is not the first time Liberia has had problem with Guinea over the presence of alleged troublemakers in Liberia.
It can be recalled Colonel Claude Pivi, a prominent fugitive wanted in Guinea, was apprehended by Liberian security officers in September this year in the dense forest area between Nimba and Grand Gedeh. Pivi had been convicted in Guinea for crimes against humanity related to his role in a 2009 massacre.
“In view of the information we have received and some information we have had from the country where he was arrested, we can now confirm he is in the hands of the Liberian authorities,” Abdourahmane Dabo, Pivi’s lawyer, told international journalists upon his arrest.
On November 4, 2023, Pivi escaped alongside three other detainees in a commando operation. While his companions were recaptured the same day, Pivi managed to evade capture and remained at large.
For a period of 10 months following his escape in November from the Conakry central jail, Pivi, a former minister of presidential security, remained elusive until his arrest on Liberian soil.
Meanwhile, Ja’neh’s recent statement has sparked concerns about the safety and security of both Guinean nationals residing in Liberia and the wider Liberian population, particularly with regards to potential involvement in protests amidst existing political tensions.
Following Ja’neh’s call for various sectors to participate in demonstrations, there has been a notable increase in the number of Guinean nationals entering Liberia. This situation has prompted some citizens to stress the importance of implementing heightened security measures in light of the protests regarding the case of Cherif and the allegations of subversive activities in Guinea.
