A local Circuit Judge has restored squatter rights of Life Saving of Jesus Christ International Church in West Point Township here.
By: Emmanuel Wise Jipoh
Monrovia, Liberia, November 12, 2024 – A Circuit Court in Monrovia has ruled in favor of Life Saving of Jesus Christ International, allowing it to reclaim possession of its property in West Point Township, acquired under a squatter right.
The Sixth Judicial Circuit Civil Law Court presided over by Her Honor Golda A. Bonah Elliot, ruled on Friday, November 8, and awarded the Church US1000 in damages.
The case involved the church on the one hand and Mr. Aloysius Jackson, Feddnis K. Nagbe et al. as respondents. The Church had accused the respondents of wrongfully withholding their property.
The Church, represented by the Youn-Ya Legal Consultancy and Arbitration Chambers, represented by Cllr. Kabinah M. Ja’neh had filed a petition before the court against Jackson, indicating that they were illegally occupying their property without authorization or squatter’s rights, and prayed to the court to have them ousted from the property.
In its ruling, the Court stated that all testimonies of witnesses and documentary evidence showed that the respondents were wrongfully withholding the Church’s property.
The property in question was previously given to an occupant to be used pursuant to Squatter’s rights granted by the Township of West Point through Commissioner Charles K. Johnson.
The court documents in the possession of the New Dawn detailed that on May 8, 2023, the (Petitioners) were given the right to reside on the said Property due to the previous occupants having transferred the squatter’s rights to Petitioner.
However, it indicates that the squatter’s rights given to the Petitioner by the Township of West Point are clearly within the Township’s right, and the said rights allowed the petitioner to claim ownership of said property even though said property is not legally owned by them.
Accordingly, it says this right also allows the Petitioner to take all necessary steps to ensure the quiet and peaceful enjoyment of the rights granted and to institute proceedings against any third party who interferes with such rights of possession.
Meanwhile, the court, in its ruling, ordered the respondents to be ousted, ejected, and evicted from the property and ensured that Life Saving of Jesus Christ International reclaims its property.
At the same time, the Court’s final ruling also ordered the respondents to pay liable damages of US$1,000.00 for wrongfully withholding the property.
It ordered the Clerk “to issue the writ of possession and have same placed in the hands of the Sheriff to have respondents ousted, ejected and evicted from the property. Editing by Jonathan Browne
