Africa-Press – Liberia. The former Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Jurah A.M. Sanoe, has raised concerns over what he describes as the “illegal demolition” of his property in Johnsonville Township, Montserrado County, amid an apparent ownership dispute backed by court orders.
Speaking with Front Page Africa over the weekend, Mr. Sanoe said he lawfully acquired the property in 2025 and subsequently undertook development, including fencing the land.
However, he was reportedly shocked to receive a call informing him that officers of the Liberia National Police, along with a Sheriff from the Civil Law Court, had arrived on the property to carry out a demolition exercise.
According to him, before the incident, he had not been served any notice indicating that the property was under dispute or subject to court action. “I was never served any document concerning any dispute over the property,” Mr. Sanoe stated.
“It was only when I arrived on the scene on Friday, March 13 that the Sheriff presented me with a court document.”
Despite presenting what he described as legitimate ownership documents, Mr. Sanoe said the demolition exercise proceeded.
He termed the action a violation of his property rights, insisting that his acquisition was backed by legally recognised instruments, including verification from the Center for National Documents and Records Agency (CNDRA).
“The National Archives approved this document and the court also recognized it. So how can the same system now authorize demolition on that very property?” he questioned.
“I’m finding it hard to understand what is happening.”
Documents in possession of this paper, however, indicate that the demolition may have been carried out in compliance with a Writ of Possession issued by the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court, Montserrado County.
The writ, dated June 17, 2025 and signed by Assistant Clerk of Court Randolph B. Sneh under the authority of Assigned Circuit Judge George W. Smith, mandates the Sheriff to place the plaintiffs, administrators of the Intestate Estate of Arthur and Reuben Hart, in full possession of the disputed property; and
“Oust, evict and eject” all defendants occupying the land.
The court order further references a mandate from the Supreme Court of Liberia, dated June 3, 2025, which reinforces the plaintiffs’ claim to the property.
The defendants listed in the ejectment action include several individuals, among them Peter D. Young, Omaru Konneh, Molley Gray, Sr., and others believed to be occupying or claiming portions of the land situated in Johnsonville.
Further complicating the matter, records from the Monthly and Probate Court for Montserrado County show that in November 2025, Resident Judge Necular Y. Edwards granted a Court’s Decree of Sale authorizing administrators of the Estate of John Moore to sell a portion of land in Johnsonville.
The decree permits the disposal of seven (7) acres from a larger 23.30-acre parcel, originally acquired by the late John Moore through a public land sale deed probated in 1906.
The court noted that the sale was intended to enable the estate to settle obligations, including tax liabilities and to facilitate closure of the estate.
Additionally, multiple Letters of Confirmation issued by the CNDRA, including those dated March 17, 2025, and January 15, 2026, affirm the existence of the original public land sale deed to John Moore.
The land, measuring 23.30 acres, is legally documented; the deed was probated on September 18, 1906; and the instrument is duly registered and preserved within the national archives system.
Despite these legal documents, Mr. Sanoe maintained that his purchase followed due process and that he was not afforded fair notice or hearing before the demolition.
He estimates that the damage to his property exceeds US$5,000, representing recent developments carried out on the land. The former official is now calling on authorities to ensure accountability and compensation.
“I will pursue all legal avenues to ensure that the losses I have incurred are addressed,” he said. The incident underscores ongoing concerns surrounding land ownership disputes in Montserrado County, where overlapping claims, historical deeds, and court-backed enforcement actions continue to generate tension.
As of press time, authorities of the Civil Law Court had not publicly responded to Sanoe’s allegations.
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