Liberia’s Chief Justice Yamie Gbiesay has refuted claims that he is trabalizing a land dispute between the Kalefa Turay family and alleged squatters in Gompa City, Nimba County, insisting that courts must decide cases solely based on evidence, the Constitution and the laws of Liberia, a Daily Monitor report says.
The report quoted the Chief Justice in a press release that his office had been alerted to what he characterized as “deliberate attempts” to tribalize the judgment of the Gompa City Magisterial Court in the long-running land dispute.
“I am not a tribal Chief Justice. I am the Chief Justice of the Republic of Liberia,” he said, stressing that his constitutional oath requires him to administer justice “without fear or favor” and uphold equal rights and justice for all.
“My loyalty is not to a tribe. My loyalty is not to a County. My loyalty is not to any party to the case. My loyalty is to the Constitution of Liberia and to the Laws of Liberia,” the Chief Justice declared.
The statement, according to the report, comes amid tensions surrounding the court’s judgment and subsequent eviction proceedings in Gompa City. The Chief Justice said the Turay family claims to have acquired the disputed property as far back as 1951 through a public land sale deed signed during the administration of former President William V. S. Tubman, adding that a building was subsequently constructed on the property and leased to tenants, including the Government of Liberia, before the civil crisis.
The statement said an action was later filed before the court and a judgment was rendered in favor of the Turay family. According to the Chief Justice, the judgment was not appealed, but its execution has allegedly been resisted on grounds involving tribal sentiment and an assertion of eminent domain.
The press release did not provide copies of the deed, court judgment or other documents supporting those assertions, and the competing parties’ positions were not included in the statement.
The Chief Justice said land disputes are particularly sensitive because land is connected to identity, livelihood and family heritage.
He acknowledged the concerns and anxiety surrounding the case, particularly among residents of Nimba County and Gompa City, but maintained that emotional and communal considerations cannot replace the judicial process.
“This is precisely why these cases must be decided in the courtroom, on the basis of evidence and law — and not in the streets, not on social media and certainly not on the basis of tribal sentiments,” he said. He added that no case under his leadership would be decided according to the tribal affiliation of any party. The Chief Justice emphasized that judges are required to evaluate cases according to the evidence and applicable law, regardless of the ethnic background of the litigants.
“Court knows no Kpelle, no Mano, no Gio, no Madingo, no Bassa or any other tribe,” the statement declared. “For in the Temple of Justice and courtrooms in Liberia, there is only one tribe, and that tribe is Justice.”
Meanwhile, the report states that the Chief Justice acknowledged the right of citizens to criticize court decisions, describing constructive criticism as an important part of democracy. However, he condemned the “deliberate weaponization of tribe” to intimidate the Judiciary or influence its proceedings.
“Attempt to tribalize land case is to put fire on our National House,” he warned, invoking Liberia’s history of ethnic and political conflict. “Liberia has been down that road before, and we all know where it led us. We must not go there again.”
The Chief Justice has reaffirmed his commitment to the Constitution and the authority of Liberia’s courts. “As long as I serve as a Chief Justice of Liberia, I will continue to defend the Constitution and stand by all judgments legally rendered by all Courts within the Republic,” he said.
The statement effectively places the Judiciary at the center of a growing public debate over the Gompa City dispute, while warning citizens and political actors against turning a judicial proceeding into an ethnic confrontation.
For the parties involved, however, the central questions remain legal: who holds valid title to the disputed property, what evidence was presented before the court, whether the judgment was properly rendered, and whether the legal requirements for its execution and any eviction were satisfied. Those questions, the Chief Justice insists, must ultimately be answered by the courts rather than by tribal affiliation, public pressure or social-media campaigns.
Source: Daily Monitor/libdailymonitornews
