Monrovia — The daughter of fallen Liberty Party (LP) founder Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine and a Representative aspirant in the ensuing presidential and legislative elections has dragged to court a Pastor for entering her generator room without permission and using disparaging words against her late father.
Pastor Moses D. S. M. Togar of the Divine Revelation Ministry was sued at the Magisterial Court in Buchanan City by Cllr. Charlyn Brumskine, who is also contesting the Representative seat of electoral district # 3 in Grand Bassa County.
The defendant is also the Principal of the Willie Peters Junior High School and Head of the Kpain ma-gbo (Help Yourself), a local community-based group in the county.
He has been accused of allegedly committing the crimes of criminal trespass, criminal mischief, criminal coercion, harassment and disorderly conduct.
In a writ of arrest issued by directive of the Magistrate of the court James B. Kaba, Sr., a copy which is in possession of FrontPageAfrica, Cllr. Brumskine claimed that on the 18th day of February 2023 at about 4PM in Upper Buchanan while having a reunion with her family members and community dwellers, the defendant (Pastor Togar) with "criminal intent knowingly, purposely, unlawfully and intentional entered therein without any color of right the home of the Private Prosecutrix (Cllr Brumskine) when he was not invited to be there."
The court document claimed that he allegedly "threatened" Cllr Brumskine saying that "she's a small girl and that you will break her wings."
"The Private Prosecutrix further says that you were spotted in her generator room when in fact you have no business being there and also were noticed taking photograph of her persons and her yard," the document further alleged.
It revealed that Pastor Togar further went to a local radio station in the county and allegedly maligned the character of Counselor Brumskine by saying that, she ordered her security to "beat" on him, bringing her to public ridicule.
The document alleged the defendant also referred to Counselor Brumskine and her late father as a "good for nothing person and that she has followed footsteps in the same manner and form."
The writ disclosed that the alleged acts committed by Pastor Togar is in violation of Sections 15.21, 15.5, 14.27, 14.28 and 17.5 of the new penal law of Liberia.
The defendant speaks
Prior to the filing of a lawsuit, Pastor Togar told Ablee-Jay Online television on February 20 that Counselor Brumskine invited residents of Upper and Central Buchanan communities to a reconciliation meeting at her residence.
He said as a leader and founder of a school and ministry in one of the communities, he decided to attend the called meeting, along with other family members including his daughter and mother-in-law.
Pastor Togar termed as "false and misleading" the allegation raised by Counselor Brumskine that he was caught in her generator room.
"I did not enter the generator room. It came a time I began to walk around why my girls were dressing for the game, I began to look at them and pass."
He said while attending the program at the residence of Counselor Brumskine, he decided to photograph, but he was approached by a fellow only identified as "Lion", who authorized him to do so.
Pastor Togar noted that there was no pronouncement made by through a P. A system or the security guards that photographing was strictly prohibited at the event.
"I went as far as holding the guy foot and telling him sorry (for taking photos). As a sound leader, I agreed with him so that the photos can be deleted. I stood with him and gave him my phone and the photos were deleted. Moreover, somebody came and say 'it looks like this man is a spy for Matthew Joe.' After they accused me, they began to kicked and slapped in my b**t and face."
He claimed that his phone was also seized by the attackers.
He said though he has invited the incumbent lawmaker at his church and school programs, he has not officially supported his bid.
Pastor Togar further accused Counselor Brumskine of "talking the law into her own hands" by going through his phone without any authorization after it was confiscated and handed to her.
"If I were guilty of taking photos t that particular gathering, what they supposed to do was to take me to the law and the law will execute the command. While I was asking her and I went to her feet to ask her for my phone, she ordered her boys including Lion and the rest of the people to get me out and started saying 'these are the spies of Matthew Joe.' "
He claimed to have left the scene by boarding a commercial motorcycle.
He described his alleged meted against him based upon the alleged order of Counselor Brumskine as "inhumane," adding that, "she ordered her boys to beat me unmercifully and my phone left in her possession and the amount of US$500 I have for my community-based organization was taken while I was beaten."
Pastor Togar wondered why his decision to photograph a political event was misconstrued by the Representative aspirant and some of her supporters.
Meanwhile, hearing into the case filed against the Liberian Pastor has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 28.
Counselor Brumskine's response
Speaking in an interview with FrontPageAfrica via telephone, Counselor Brumskine denied ordering her supporters to brutalize the Pastor.
She doubted that the Liberian Clergyman had in his possession the amount of US$500 when he went to her premises.
According to her, Pastor Togar's phone is in the custody of the police.
"We had him in the generator room to take pictures. We have messages where he was sending Matthew Joe's people talking about how my father and great grandfather were congau people and they treat other people like country bitches. He said 'we have to break this lil girl's wings'. This is not even a Pastor. When we called the police and the police arrested the man; now Matthew Joe and his people are going from journalist to journalist to paint me as a bad person."
"He was taking pictures and sending messages about me; we confiscated his phone and turned it over to the police. He was never touched and we have hundreds of witnesses who were among us and will love to testify."
Counselor Brumskine further denied receiving calls from some religious leaders in the county to withdraw the case from the court.
She, however, vowed to take the lead by engaging the office of the County Attorney to withdraw the matter if Pastor Togar renders an open apology.
"I have always said that if this man issues an apology, because he did not just do this to me but the public-and say that he will not engage into this activity again, I will go to the state myself and ask the County Attorney to drop the matter."
Speaking further, Cllr. Brumskine alleged that supporters of the lawmaker are bent on victimizing his perceived political opponents ahead of the elections.
She claimed that one of the supporters of the incumbent stormed her office with a knife and a "rubber gun" threatening to allegedly burn her building and a truck on Saturday, March 25.
FrontPageAfrica has identified the suspect as one Chris McGill. He is expected to appear in court today to answer to multiple charges.
Counselor Brumskine pointed out that her decision to institute lawsuits against supporters of the incumbent is intended to uphold the rule of law.
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"If we are serious about changing our county and country, we cannot allow these things to happen. Everyone knows that I am a peaceful person."
She said as a person who is regarded for promoting the rule of law and order in Liberia, she will not sit and allow the incumbent and his supporters to tarnish her reputation for political gains.
Wrong political calculation?
The lawsuit has divided citizens of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
Many persons are wondering while Counselor Brumskine will file legal suits against her constituents, including a Pastor for freely expressing himself.
The citizens believed that as the elections draw nearer, the latest action taken by Counselor Brumskine has the propensity of discouraging residents of the county from casting their votes in her favor.
They hold the view that as a seasoned lawyer, the daughter of Counselor Charles Walker Brumskine will continue to file multiple lawsuits against her constituents for minor offenses when she is declared the winner of the election.
On the other hand, others believed that the lawsuits filed against Pastor Togar and McGill were in the right direction.
According to them, the legal action would serve as deterrence to residents of the district and Liberia at large to desist from maligning the character and reputation of people who they do not support during this electioneering period.
It remains unclear why religious leaders in the district could not amicably resolve the matter prior to the institution of the lawsuit.
However, the race for the Representative seat in electoral district # 3 in Grand Bassa County seems to be getting politically charge ahead of the pronouncement of the campaign period for the ensuing elections.
Liberians are expected to go to the polls to elect their new leaders on October 10 this year, according to a timetable released by the National Elections Commission (NEC).
