Monrovia — The man in the middle of the Catholic Junction Community Demolition Exercise has responded to allegations levied against him by community members.

Stanton Gay says he understands that people are upset about the recent evictions in Oldest Congo Town, outside Monrovia, but he insists everything was done legally.

Many families lost their homes when police and bulldozers came to the Catholic Community last Saturday. People said they were shocked and had no warning. But Mr. Gaye says the eviction was based on a court order that his family legally won.

Mr. Gaye explained that in October 2022, the Supreme Court of Liberia ruled that the land belongs to his family, the estate of Joseph V. Gaye Sr., his late relative. After that, the court ordered a land survey and Mr. Gaye says the results proved the land is theirs.

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He admits that some residents were not part of the original case.

"When they complained, a judge told the lower court to pause the eviction until everyone could be added to a new case. That new case is still ongoing," he said.

However, Mr. Gaye says the eviction that happened on Saturday was from the old case--the one his family had already won.

Mr. Gaye also blamed community leaders and lawyers for not advising the residents properly. He said the land was legally purchased by his family in the 1960s from former Chief Justice A. Dash Wilson Sr. and his wife, Florence Wilson.

Even though Mr. Gaye says he followed the law, many families who were removed from their homes believe they were treated unfairly. They claim the court had ruled in their favor last year and that Mr. Gaye had no right to evict them.

Still Mr. Gaye says the eviction was not personal--it was simply the law being carried out by the courts and the police.