By Socrates Smythe Saywon
MONROVIA – In the early hours of Saturday, August 23, 2025, officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) accompanied by court sheriffs stormed the national headquarters of the former ruling Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) in Congo Town, Monrovia, to enforce a court-ordered eviction. The dramatic operation brought to an end the party’s 20-year occupation of the building, but not without sharp condemnation from CDC executives.
According to eyewitness accounts, police deployment began as early as 4 a.m. as the court enforced an eviction order in favor of the estate of the late Martha Stubblefield Bernard. Heavy security surrounded the area as demolition works commenced, drawing protests from CDC’s leadership, who described the action as politically motivated and unlawful.
CDC National Chairman Atty. Janga Augustus Kowo reacted strongly on his official Facebook page. “The heavy deployment of Armed Police at the CDC headquarters as early as 4 A.M. this morning is a clear demonstration of the level of lawlessness the Unity Party government has sunk into! We have put the Minister of Justice and the Government of Liberia on notice! The government will be held accountable for any harm to a single citizen,” Kowo declared, tagging international organizations including the U.S. Embassy, ECOWAS, the African Union, and the European Union.
Similarly, CDC Secretary General Jefferson T. Koijee accused senior police officials of directing what he called an “armed invasion.” He listed names of commanders allegedly involved, including Inspector General Gregory O.W. Coleman, and warned supporters to take note of those he said were responsible for “creating mayhem at CDC headquarters.”
Documents obtained from the Civil Law Court indicate that the dispute stems from a long-standing legal battle between the CDC and the Bernard estate. Judge George W. Smith of the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court ruled in favor of the estate, granting eviction rights after years of litigation. Although CDC filed an appeal and secured a LD$30,000 bond, the court found no legal barrier preventing the eviction from being carried out.
In a formal communication dated August 22, 2025, Chairman Kowo had appealed to Justice Minister Cllr. Oswald Tweh to intervene, citing Article 20(b) of the 1986 Constitution and provisions of Liberia’s Civil Procedure Law. Kowo argued that the filing of an appeal should have automatically stayed execution of the judgment. He warned that proceeding with the eviction would amount to “a travesty of justice, constitutional violation, and political repression.”
But legal experts, including CDC’s own Senator Augustine Chea of Sinoe County, dismissed that interpretation. Writing on his official page, Senator Chea said he had repeatedly urged his party to comply with the law and vacate the property. “That’s the law. We are a country of law,” he said. “The filing of a new suit does not automatically stay an eviction already ordered by the court. Unless the Supreme Court grants a stay, the sheriff has every right to carry out eviction with the help of the police.”
As bulldozers tore into the building that once served as a political fortress for former President George Weah’s party, CDC supporters watched in disbelief, some chanting against the government while others scrambled to salvage party documents and furniture. The incident underscores the deepening tension between the ruling Unity Party government and its chief opposition force ahead of future elections.
While the government has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, critics argue that the timing and scale of the police operation reflect a growing political confrontation between the two dominant forces in Liberia’s fragile democracy.
For now, the once towering CDC headquarters lies in ruins. Its fate sealed by a court’s judgment and a government determined to enforce it, but its demolition has opened another chapter of political bitterness in the country’s post-election environment.
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