The Gompa Magisterial Court in Liberia sentenced former Ganta City Mayor Amos N. G. Suah to 30 days in jail and fined him $100 for contempt of court on September 29. The court found that Suah's recent public remarks demeaned the court and risked inciting the public against the judiciary. Stipendiary Magistrate Cllr. Sam Nya Harris handed down the ruling. The court also ordered Suah to appear on three community radio stations in Ganta to retract and debunk his comments about the court.
The contempt charges stem from statements Suah made on the Day Break Gompa Program on Voice of Gompa. The court said the remarks "demeaned, scandalized and lowered the authority of the Court" and could "incite members of the public to defy, resist or violently oppose the lawful order and authority of the Judiciary." Suah was summoned to appear in court on September 29 at 2:00 p.m. to "show cause" why he should not be punished. The bench warned that failure to appear would result in arrest and further legal action.
Hundreds of residents and traditional leaders from the Bain-Garr Area gathered in Ganta ahead of the ruling, many in solidarity with the former mayor. Some chiefs urged the magistrate to settle the matter locally, but the court declined their request. After the sentencing, residents crowded the streets as Suah was handcuffed and placed into a pickup bound for Sanniquellie Central Prison.
The contempt finding is linked to wider tensions in Ganta following an eviction last week that left more than 15 families homeless. The eviction was carried out under an order in the summary proceeding of the Intestate Estate of the Late Musa Toure vs Mohammed Bility and Mr. Dorley. A motion for relief from judgment in that case is scheduled for hearing on December 20.
The eviction prompted a public dispute between Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay Sr. and former Mayor Suah. Chief Justice Gbeisay defended the magisterial court's eviction order during an interview on Radio Voice of Gompa. Suah responded publicly, calling Chief Justice Gbeisay a "security enemy" and urging President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to remove the Chief Justice.
During related proceedings, former Nimba County Superintendent David Door Cooper told the court that he and others returned a disputed parcel of land in Ganta to Amos Suah. The matter remains before the courts as judges review documentary evidence and witness testimony. Residents expressed mixed views on the sentencing, with some calling for accountability and others defending the right to criticize.
The contempt hearing concluded with the sentence and the radio-retraction order. The disputed property case remains scheduled for further proceedings on December 20. Meanwhile, the Office of the Chief Justice and the Office of the President were contacted for comment but had not responded by publication time.
Key points
- The Gompa Magisterial Court sentenced former Ganta City Mayor Amos Suah to 30 days in jail and fined him $100 for contempt of court.
- The contempt charges stem from Suah's public remarks demeaning the court and risking incitement of the public against the judiciary.
- The sentencing is linked to wider tensions in Ganta following an eviction that left more than 15 families homeless.
