Lawyers representing convicted ex- Liberian President Charles Taylor and his wife Victoria B. Addison-Taylor, have filed a petition for a writ of mandamus before Liberia's Supreme Court to compel the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Administration to pay US$231,429.99 as total annuities (benefits), covering 111 calendar months from September 1, 2003 to December 31, 2012.
In a 18-count joint petition filed before the Supreme Court of Liberia, former President Moses Z. Blah's Vice President John D. Gray, is also claiming total annuities of US$114,583.32, representing 110 calendar months from November 1, 2003 up to December 31, 2012.
Consistent with Section 1.4 of an act enacted by Legislators on July 6, 1978, Taylor and Gray are pleading for the high court to grant them the necessary relief by compelling the sitting government to pay to them 50% of the salaries of the President and the Vice President per annum respectively, on grounds that they were honorably retired since 2003 to private life and are not in the employ of government.
Quoting Section 1.4 of the act titled "An Act to provide for retirement pension of the President, Vice President, The Speaker, The Chief Justice of the Republic of Liberia," Taylor's lawyers argued among others that a former president, who has honorably retired to private life and, who is not in any way gainfully employed by the government shall receive from the government a pension equal to fifty percent (50%) of the salary of the president's."
Besides, the act mandates the sitting government to provide personal staff and facilities for the remainder of the ex-president or vice president's life at a cost not less than US$25,000.00 per annum for the ex-president, and an allowance not less than US$12,500 per annum for the ex-vice president, respectively.
But both petitioners are claiming that the Sirleaf-led government has chosen to sport with their lives and rights by adopting "a pick and choose" biasness and "selective" payments of retirement benefits "as demonstrably shown in its settlement of retirements benefits of former President Samuel Kanyon Doe to his wife Nancy B. Doe.
Ex-president Taylor was convicted on April 26, 2012 for aiding and abetting RUF rebels in Sierra Leone, and subsequently sentenced for 50 years by the Special Court of Sierra Leone, sitting in The Hague.
Under pressure from various rebel factions, ex-President Charles Taylor was forced to resign the Liberian Presidency on August 11, 2003 as rebel fighters, including the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) massively lunched rockets in Monrovia, coupled with mass killings across the country.
Following the departure of Taylor to Calabar, Nigeria in 2003, then Vice President Moses Z. Blah, ascended to the Presidency; thereby bringing onboard John D. Gray, who occupied the Office of the Vice Presidency from August 11, to October 14, 2003.
Vice President Gray also retired in 2003 when the interim arrangement or National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) headed by Charles Gyude Bryant was inaugurated on October 14, 2003.
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we need money to construct our roads,just look at our beloved country,it's all mess.
Personally, I do NOT like what former president Charles did to Liberia but constitutionally speaking, the Liberian Government owes the two former government leaders. The fact is, Mr. Charles Taylor even though he languishes in prison, resigned honorably from the Liberian presidency and turned the office to his sitting vice president, who served the remaining term. HE HAS A CASE TO WIN, IF LIBERIA SHOULD HOLD ON TO ITS CONSTITUTIONAL VALUES.
i sincerely believe that Mr. Charles Taylor should be given his benefits, whether he's in jail or out of jail. He resigned in the interest of peace. Had he stay in Liberia, we all could have been dead by now.
Taylor was FORCED to resign from the presidency., now he is claiming that he HONORABLY RESIGNED, and claiming benefits from the Liberian government. What a paradox. The lawyers that represent Taylor are all fools, or maybe they were not born when Taylor left from Liberia. He was forced out by rebels forces. He does not deserve any kind of benefits; if anybody is to ask for benefits it should be his vice president, Moses Blah, who served the rest of his term, or until the interim government was installed.Taylor is a murder is does not deserve our benefits
Point of correction, former president Charles G. Taylor was indicted in April 2003 for bearing the greatest responsibility in the Sierra Leonean crisis, and not for aiding and abetting as it lastly turned out to be. Thanks.
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