A Muslim cleric and fifteen (15) other persons who staged a violent protest on November 13 against their eviction by Sheriffs of the Civil Law Court 'B' and officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP), were on Friday sentenced to one month in prison for criminal contempt for obstructing the enforcement of the Supreme Court's mandate.
The verdict caused confusion and sadness between the defendants and their lawyers, after acknowledging their wrongdoing and promising that such a conduct will never be repeated.
Justifying his decision to imprison Imam Abu Kamara, the head of the Red-Light Central Mosque, in the Red-Light community, Judge Peter Gbeneweleh narrated how Imam Kamara and his followers continued to obstruct the enforcement of the Supreme Court's eviction order.
Gbeneweleh said, on Thursday, November 13, 2025, the Sheriff along with the police officers had proceeded to the subject property to execute the mandate of the Supreme Court that authorized them to oust, evict and eject the defendants from the property.
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Gbeneweleh also noted that the eviction was to be aided by a qualified and licensed surveyor, who accompanied the team, consistent with the metes and bounds of the deed to the contested property.
Unfortunately, Gbeneweleh said, the team was violently attacked and the police were successful in arresting Imam Abu Kamara and fifteen of his followers who were brought before the court.
According to Gbeneweleh, the sheriff's returns confirmed that they were indeed violently attacked by Imam Abu Kamara and his followers.
"This court therefore issued a Writ of Arrest of Criminal Contempt for the defendants to show reasons, if any, why they should not be held in criminal contempt for obstructing the enforcement of the mandate of the Supreme Court," the judge noted.
Gbeneweleh further explained that at the call of proceeding for hearing, the defense lawyers prayed the court to temper mercy with justice with the assurance that they never again repeat such an act.
Before the decision, Gbeneweleh said, he had sentenced four other defendants to the Monrovia Central Prison during the first contempt hearing over the same enforcement of the Supreme Court's eviction mandate.
"This court takes judicial notice that they previously sentenced the first defendants in the first contempt proceeding for fourteen days each at the Monrovia Central prison based upon their plea to temper justice.
As stated earlier, Gbeneweleh noted that they were released in less than a week. But, Gbeneweleh said, while it is true that the court has the power and authority in these contempt proceedings to sentence the defendants for at most five months, adding, "this court will again reduce the sentence based upon the plea for mercy by them and their legal counsel."
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Wherefore and view of the foregoing, Gbeneweleh ruled that "the defendants are hereby adjudged guilty for criminal contempt for obstructing the enforcement of the judgment of this court which is confirmed by the Supreme Court."
Gbeneweleh continued that "they are, accordingly, sentenced to one month each at the Monrovia Central Prison to serve as a deterrent."
But, Gbeneweleh said, before rendering the judgment there was a meeting between him and the Chief Imam of Liberia and Imam Abu Kamara. According to the judge, at the end of the meeting, the two religious leaders assured him that they were going to appeal to their followers who had been in the habit of obstructing the enforcement of the Higher Court's eviction order.
It was based on the assurance, Gbeneweleh said, that the Sheriff and his team proceeded to execute the eviction orders, but they were attacked violently. Besides, he wrote the Inspector general of the Liberia National Police to aid the Sheriff in executing the mandate of the Supreme Court.
Contrary to Imam Abu Kamara's assurance to avoid obstructing the enforcement of the eviction order, the Imam and his followers violently attacked and the mandate of the Supreme Court could not fully be enforced.
