Monrovia – The Liberia National Police (LNP) has announced plans to enforce the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court’s order to evict the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) from its national headquarters in Congo Town on Saturday, August 23, 2025.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh
The announcement was made in a video address by Inspector General Gregory Coleman, who stressed the LNP’s neutrality and commitment to the rule of law.
“At this critical moment in our nation’s democratic journey, the Liberia National Police reaffirms its neutrality and commitment to upholding the rule of law,” Coleman said.
He explained that the Court’s writ of possession mandated the eviction of the CDC and tasked the police with assisting in its execution.
“This planned action is not political,” Coleman said. “Our role is constitutional—to preserve peace, protect lives, and ensure that the decisions of our courts are carried out without fear or favor.”
Coleman called on the CDC to demonstrate leadership and respect the authority of the court: “We call on the CDC, as one of Liberia’s leading political institutions, to show statesmanship by respecting the authority of the courts. Compliance with the law is not weakness, but strength.”
He also urged partisans and supporters to remain peaceful, warning against political tensions that could undermine Liberia’s fragile peace.
Background of the Legal Battle
The eviction order stems from a long-running legal dispute dating back to 2016, when the Intestate Estate of Martha Stubblefield Bernard, represented by Ebrima Varney Dempster, filed an ejectment action against the CDC.
• In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Bernard estate.
• In March 2024, the Civil Law Court issued writs ordering the CDC’s eviction, but enforcement was delayed.
• On June 2, 2025, the Bernard estate issued a one-week eviction notice, citing unpaid rent (estimated at US$100,000 per year) and damages.
The CDC countered with a petition for Specific Performance, arguing it had a Right of First Refusal to purchase the property, but the courts rejected this claim.
• On May 28, 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed the CDC’s Bill of Information and sanctioned its lawyers, ruling that rent payments from 2018–2023 established a landlord–tenant relationship.
• On August 1, 2025, the Civil Law Court denied the CDC’s motion to block enforcement.
• On August 13, 2025, the court formally ordered the police to enforce the eviction.
• On August 15, 2025, the Supreme Court reaffirmed ownership by the Bernard estate and set a US$4.2 million cash demand if the CDC wished to remain on the property.
The CDC, in response, condemned what it described as judicial bias and procedural irregularities, vowing to continue its legal resistance.
