Monrovia — The owner of the EGW King Plaza on Broad Street, now being occupied by the Ministry of Education, has sued the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) for over half a million United States dollars for 'specific damages' and US$5 million for 'general damages' carried out on three floors of that building by the erstwhile National Bank of Liberia (NBL).

The action for damages was instituted on Friday, November 2, 2007, by Mr. Francis B. Dunbar, through his legal counsel, G. Wiefueh Alfred Sayeh, at the Civil Law Court in Monrovia. Plaintiff Dunbar identified himself to the court as administrator cum testamento annexo for Elizabeth Buchanan, executrix of Sarah Howard King estate.

In his complaint to court, Mr. Dunbar claimed that regardless of the expiration of a 1974 lease agreement with the NBL, [the NBL became CBL in 2000 under the laws of Liberia], which was not renewed or extended in writing, the Bank continuously occupied his premises. Although the writ from the court did not say on which date the initial lease agreement expired, it furthered claimed that the CBL finally vacated a 'banking hall and vault' in the building in March 2006, in keeping with another lease agreement of May 2006.

The plaintiff informed the court that the CBL left the premises in a deplorable state and that condition could not allow plaintiff to lease the property to potential lessees.

Such a deplorable state, plaintiff submitted, had caused him loss of rental income.

Plaintiff Dunbar also argued that he had hired an architectural firm, Architects Construction Consultants (ACC), who did an assessment of the repair works required to restore the premises to a habitable condition.

He said ACC estimated the cost to restore the part of the building to 'habitable and rental' condition at US$549,460.39.

In a September 6, 2007 letter to CBL Governor, Mills Jones, Dunbar's lawyer Cllr. Sayeh quoted his client as claiming unpaid rental from the NBL which amounted to over US$275,000.

The figures, US$275,000 and US$549, 460.39, stated in the letter as the amount owed Mr. Dunbar and the cost for rehabilitation amounts to nearly US$800,000. However, Dunbar's lawyer is pleading with the court to grant his client US$549,460.39 as cost for 'specific damages' to restore premises to a habitable condition and an amount not exceeding US$5 million as cost for 'general damages'.

The writ failed to include the arrears in rental of US$275,000 that was mentioned in the letter to CBL Governor Jones.

In the concluding part of the letter, Cllr. Sayeh warned Mr. Jones: "Our client wants to pursue redress through the courts. However, because it is our policy to first find an amicable out-of-court settlement in such matters, we are herewith inviting you or your legal representative to a conference at our offices at the above address on Monday, September 10, 2007 at 4pm, in order to find an amicable settlement.

"Your failure to attend this conference will leave us with no alternative but to institute the most stringent and repressive legal means under the law to accord our client the desire redress through the court system".