--Former Minister Wolokollie, and others involved
The lives of many Liberians continued to be endangered through unnecessary land-related conflicts due to some land dealers' constant sale of one property to multiple buyers. Some buyers have lost their lives in land disputes.
Monrovia, Liberia, March 11, 2024: The Liberia National Police (LNP) detachment in Montserrado County Electoral District #17 prevented imminent bloodshed over a land dispute over the weekend.
The case involves Liberia's former Deputy Commerce Minister Jamima Wolokollie, Madam Bendu Yates, and several others in the Po-River Community, Brewerville.
On Thursday of last week, Madam Wolokollie visited the Po-River, Brewerville Community, with a yellow machine and cleared a land she said belonged to her.
In the process, Madam Wolokollie reportedly destroyed crops, other valuable agricultural produce, and house materials on the land.
She is reported to have spread dirt on the piece of land she is claiming in preparation for construction work.
However, her rival, Madam Bendu Yates, and several others who are occupying land in the area resisted Madam Wolokollie.
They claimed that the former Commerce Minister was illegally trespassing on their properties.
The different parties are battling over land that is said to be over 120 acres. According to Wolokollie's rivals, they purchased their land from Madam Bendu Cheeson.
But Madam Wolokollie also insisted that some 16 years ago, she purchased three acres of land from the administrators, Hawa Sanor, and Mr. Abraham Kparkar, out of the 120 acres in question.
Following a long tussle, Madam Wolokollie informed her rivals that she intended to re-survey the land on Saturday, 6 March 2024.
Subsequently, a private land survey issued a notice to the parties concerned under the signature of surveyor Alosious N. Kpangbai, RS-145, Liberia.
The surveyor said the notice was issued based on Madam Jamima Wolokollie's request to re-survey the three acres of land on behalf of Roney S. Wolokollie, Henrietta M. Cox, and Saybah Wolokollie.
The notice disclosed that the purpose is to counter-check the boundaries of the properties, adding that the re-survey was due to commence on Saturday, 6 March 2024, at 10:00 am.
The surveyor asked that anyone having claims be present at the site on the day with their deeds and all other legal documents to verify their claims.
However, on the day set for the survey, a large group of people resisted its conduct, alleging that Madam Wolokollie didn't have land in the area.
They said the land she was claiming belonged to Madam Bendu Yates.
The surveyor failed to survey due to the group's resistance. Madam Wolokollie took officers to the site, and it was observed that the tension there was very high.
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Through conflict mitigation, the police commander and his men restored calm and invited the parties for a conference.
"We have come here today to prevent bloodshed. We know how land business in this area is looking. We want ... everyone to listen to us. Nobody should do any work here," the police told the rival parties.
"Let us go to the station and settle this. I'm told that there was resistance, and we don't want that because the land business here always gets into something else," they noted.
The parties were referred to the Supreme Court for further interpretation because it was reported that a ruling had already been made on the land.
