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ADNews-Monrovia, Liberia: The Supreme Court (SC) of Liberia, in a decisive ruling during its March Term of 2025, dismissed a legal maneuver by the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), describing the party’s action in an ongoing property dispute as “preposterous and impermissible.”
By Benjamin Quaye Johnson benjaminqjohnson@gmail.com
The Court also finds the party’s legal counsel, marking a rare and significant disciplinary gesture.
The case stems from a long-running lawsuit involving the intestate estates of Martha Stubblefield Bernard and William Thomas Bernard, two prominent families whose dispute over a parcel of land in Montserrado County entangling political and private interests alike.
The CDC, represented by its Acting Chairman Attorney Janga Kowo, was named in the case due to its occupancy of the disputed property.
The Supreme Court, sitting in full bench and presided over by Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh, alongside Associate Justices Jamesetta H. Wolokolie, Yussif D. Kaba, Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay Sr., and Ceaineh D. Clinton Johnson, ruled that the CDC’s payment of US$360,000 in rental arrears to the Estate of Martha Bernard for the period 2018 to 2023 constituted a de facto landlord-tenant relationship.
The party’s attempt to challenge the estate’s title by filing a Bill of Information was dismissed outright, as the Court emphasized that tenants have no standing to question the title of their landlord.
“The informant’s filing is preposterous and impermissible since the informant cannot question the title of its landlord,” the Court stated, reinforcing a fundamental tenet of Liberian property law.
The Court further noted that the Bill of Information failed to meet basic procedural requirements, including the absence of any alleged interference with a judicial officer or an existing mandate essential conditions for such a filing under the rules of the Court.
At the same time, the Court imposed a fine of US$500 on the CDC’s legal counsel, Cllrs. A. Ndubusi Nwabudike, Thomson M. Jargba, and James N. Kumeh, ordering that the amount be paid into government revenue within 72 hours.
This ruling comes amid growing public concern over the use of legal tactics by political actors to delay or disrupt court decisions, particularly in land and inheritance cases.
While the CDC has not yet issued a formal response, legal and political analysts suggest the outcome is a significant setback for the party’s legal strategy and could erode its public posture on transparency and rule of law.
“This ruling strengthens the guardrails against frivolous litigation cloaked in political garments,” said Attorney Celestine Yarkpawolo, a legal analyst. “It reinforces judicial boundaries and warns political parties against exploiting legal processes for strategic advantage.”
As Liberia navigates its next chapter of political transition and legal reform, this case is likely to serve as a benchmark in reinforcing the judiciary’s independence and its intolerance of political interference in civil matters.
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