Africa-Press – Liberia. The United Methodist Church ejectment lawsuit against the intestate estate of the late Paye Suah, represented by Mr. Fred P. Suah, is said to have received a setback after the jury failed to hold Fred liable for ejection.
On Thursday, January 11, 2024, the jury came down with a unanimous verdict, vindicating the defendant (Fred P. Suah) of the Intestate Estate of the late Paye Suah.
According to the verdict, which was read in the courtroom, the jury said, “The action of ejectment was submitted and after careful consideration of the oral and documentary evidence adduced during the trial, we do unanimously agree that the defendants are not liable for the ejectment action.”
In other detail, the jury said “the defendant is not incurious, it is the plaintiff who is incurious on the defendant’s property, and the plaintiff lacks the capacity for the main subject property.”
“According to the evidence produced by both the plaintiffs and the defendant before us as we submit this verdict, the defendant is not liable,” the jury said.
The land case between Ganta Methodist Mission, formerly M. E. Mission, represented by Rev. Prescillia Jaiah, Mr. Sei M. Sendolo Kokeh, and the people of Gbeisiella Town, Plaintiff versus the Intestate Estate of the late Paye Suah, represented by the administrator Fred P. Suah and others to be identified as Ganta City (defendant), respectively, had been heating up in the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court for several years.
The Methodist Church filed a lawsuit asking the court to eject the late Paye Suah family and others to be identified for encroachment.
In 2022, the court ordered an investigative survey to determine the rightful owner of the property in question.
In April 2022, the Methodists raised concern over the continued encroachment of their land in Ganta and its environs, something they described as undermining their developmental initiative in the community.
In a press conference held in the conference hall of the Mission station in Ganta recently, the group of Methodists, headed by the District Superintendent Rev. Aaron O. Yankee and Rev. Jerry N. Kandea, Acting Superintendent for the Ganta Mission Station, expressed concern and called on all those involved to stop or face some consequences in line with laws of Liberia.
They told reporters at the press conference in 2022 that for five years, some individuals have been constantly encroaching on their lands, which they owned legitimately through the Government of Liberia.
According to the Methodist Church, at the time land in question was acquired peacefully and legally through the elders, chiefs, and citizens of Garr Clan in Nimba County by missionary services of the Methodist led by the late Dr. George Way Harley over 90 years ago, but the jury verdict doesn’t indicate that Methodists have legitimate documents as claimed in a press conference held in 2022.
The final verdict is expected to be brought down by the Resident Judge, Pape Suah.
This is one of the most talked about land cases in Nimba County, involving one of the leading faith-based institutions in Liberia and an individual property owner.
The land in question is believed to cover portions of the Methodist’s airstrip and extend as far as the borderline with Guinea, and it also connects Gbeisiella around the Ganta Rehabilitation Center.
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