The Monrovia City Court, under the direction of Stipendiary Magistrate L. Ben Barco, has issued arrest orders for several individuals accused of engaging in unlawful actions following a leadership dispute at the E.D. McGill United Methodist Church.
The accused, including Rev. Elijah Dajue, Josiah Domah, Emmanuel Dwalu, Victoria Perry, Oretha Domah, Ellington Luogon, Olive McKay, and others yet to be identified, face charges including criminal trespass, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, criminal coercion, menacing, and felonious restraint. Magistrate Barco’s ruling follows a complaint filed by the United Methodist Church, represented by Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr., which alleges that the defendants unlawfully took control of the church in late February 2025 and refused to relinquish leadership to the newly appointed pastors.
Bishop Quire’s legal team further claims that the breakaway group publicly announced their disassociation from the United Methodist Church, making their actions illegal and their control of the church invalid. The complaint also accuses the group of vandalizing the church’s emblem by removing the word “United” from the church’s exterior, resulting in significant financial damage. The cost of replacing the emblem is reported to be US $60, with an additional US $250 required for repainting the building.
Beyond the property damage, the church leadership claims the defendants disrupted church services, creating an atmosphere of fear and tension among the congregation through their threatening behavior. The complaint, which references several sections of Liberia’s Penal Code, asserts that the defendants’ actions violated the law and caused significant harm to the church’s operations and its members.
Magistrate Barco has ordered that the defendants be arrested immediately and brought before the court to answer the charges. The individuals involved could face serious penalties under Liberia’s Penal Code if convicted.
