Gbarnga Central Prison made an unusual but consequential decision last week--one that has reignited debate about justice, public health, and the treatment of Liberia's most vulnerable citizens.
On January 28, 2026, prison authorities declined to incarcerate eight residents of the Suakoko Leprosy Rehabilitation Centre after a Gbarnga Magisterial Court ordered their detention in connection with a long-running land dispute involving approximately 1,500 acres in Suakoko District, Bong County.
Less than 30 minutes after the men and women--some elderly, some visibly ill--arrived at the prison gates, they were turned back.
The eight were escorted from the Gbarnga Magisterial Court, presided over by Magistrate Jimmy Tokpah, following charges of terroristic threat, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct. The charges stemmed from the removal of a signboard erected on disputed land claimed by both the leprosy community and a private individual.
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But once the detainees arrived at Gbarnga Central Prison, Superintendent Korto Siakor halted the process.
The superintendent told journalists that the prison could not accommodate individuals with serious medical conditions, particularly given the facility's chronic overcrowding and limited health infrastructure.
The decision forced an immediate reconsideration.
Following consultations between prison officials and the court, the Magisterial Court reversed its commitment order, instructing the eight residents to return to the Suakoko Leprosy Rehabilitation Centre and to replace the removed signboard at its original location.
The court announced the reversal during a live press briefing, effectively ending what many observers described as an ill-considered attempt to criminalize a deeply vulnerable population.
At the heart of the controversy lies a decades-old land ownership dispute.
According to John Yarkpowolo, Town Chief of the Suakoko Leprosy Camp and Rehabilitation Centre, the land in question forms part of 1,500 acres allocated by the Liberian government decades ago for the resettlement and care of persons affected by leprosy.
"Our people removed the signboard because it was planted secretly, overnight, on land that belongs to the leprosy community," Chief Yarkpowolo said after the court proceedings. "This land was given to us by the government. We are not squatters."
He described the attempted imprisonment of sick and elderly residents as "deeply troubling" and appealed to county authorities, civil society groups, and Suakoko District lawmaker Hon. Eugine J. M. Kollie to intervene before tensions escalate.
Competing Claims, No Survey
The private claimant, James N. Sulonteh, who currently resides in the United States, flatly rejected the community's claims.
Speaking through representatives, Sulonteh said he erected a "No Trespassing" signboard on 250 acres he says he legally owns. He alleged that residents of the leprosy camp forcibly removed the signboard and transported it to the District Commissioner's office in Suakoko.
Although the land has never been formally surveyed, Sulonteh insists he holds a tribal certificate supporting his ownership claim--a common but often contested form of land documentation in rural Liberia.
For the eight residents caught in the legal crossfire, the experience was not merely procedural--it was traumatic.
Several told reporters they spent between one and two hours inside the prison compound before being returned to court.
One elderly man, believed to be around 70 years old, quietly lifted his hands to show reporters open wounds, his fingers visibly deformed by years of illness.
"We are already suffering," he said softly. "Being taken to prison made it worse."
Others described fear, confusion, and humiliation--feelings compounded by the stigma that has long followed people living with leprosy in Liberia.
The incident also drew sharp criticism from leaders within the leprosy community.
Diamond Shelow, Youth President of the Suakoko Leprosy Colony, accused county authorities of failing to protect a population placed under government care.
"These people were settled here by the government," Shelow said. "Some have lived here since the 1940s. Dragging them to prison over a land dispute is injustice."
He noted that the camp is home to nearly 500 residents, many of whom rely heavily on humanitarian organizations for food, medicine, and basic survival, with minimal direct government support.
Beyond the immediate dispute, the episode has raised uncomfortable questions about land governance, access to justice, disability rights, and public health safeguards in Liberia.
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Legal analysts note that while courts have the authority to order detention, the incarceration of persons with serious medical conditions--particularly in facilities ill-equipped to care for them--raises both ethical and legal concerns.
Human rights advocates argue that the case underscores the urgent need for clear protocols when judicial decisions intersect with public health realities, especially involving marginalized communities.
For now, the eight residents are back at the Suakoko Leprosy Rehabilitation Centre. The land dispute, however, remains unresolved.
Community leaders warn that without decisive intervention--through proper land surveys, mediation, and government oversight--the situation could deteriorate further.
What happened in Gbarnga last week was more than a procedural reversal. It was a moment when an institution paused, looked at the human cost, and said no.
Yet for the leprosy community, the episode is a stark reminder that their protection remains fragile--dependent not on systems, but on discretion.
And when justice collides with vulnerability, discretion alone is never enough.
