A court-ordered eviction in Paynesville erupted into violence on September 27, 2025, when officers from the Civil Law Court, led by Sheriff Sieh Collins Jr., attempted to execute a Supreme Court-mandated Writ of Possession for a disputed property located opposite Ma Kebbeh Gas Station, near EcoBank.
According to court sources and eyewitnesses, the enforcement team encountered fierce resistance from residents and tenants allegedly acting under the directive of Mateya M. Toure, Administratrix of the Intestate Estate of the late Mamadee M. Kamara.
Tensions quickly escalated when stones were thrown at the officers, leading to physical altercations that left several bailiffs injured. Sheriff Collins and his team were forced to abandon the operation and flee the scene to avoid further violence.
In response to the attack, the Civil Law Court formally wrote to Liberia’s Inspector General of Police, Col. Gregory Coleman, on October 2, 2025, requesting the intervention of the Public Safety Unit (PSU) to ensure the safe execution of the Supreme Court’s order.
The eviction stems from a high-profile legal battle between the Keita and Kamara estates. The Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of the Keita family, ordering the removal of all unlawful occupants from the disputed property and restoring possession to the rightful owner.
Court authorities have confirmed that a new eviction date will be scheduled, this time with heightened security to avoid further disruption.
The Supreme Court’s decision was delivered by Associate Justice Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie, who upheld the lower court’s ruling in favor of Mohammed Tanji Keita, Administrator of the Intestate Estate of the late Batune Keita.
The Court ordered the eviction of Mateya M. Toure and all other occupants, affirming that the land rightfully belongs to the Keita estate, based on deed evidence and survey findings.
The Court further directed the Clerk to issue a Mandate for immediate enforcement of the judgment by the lower court without delay.
The dispute dates back to 2020 when Mohammed Tanji Keita filed a complaint claiming that his father had legally acquired the land in 1989 from Charles S. B. Watkins.
He alleged that Mamadee M. Kamara had unlawfully encroached on and developed two plots of the property.
An investigative survey by Surveyor Samuel W. Danway, Jr. confirmed that several structures, including EcoBank, were built on the land belonging to the Keita estate.
The appellants contested the survey and claimed ownership dating back to 1974. They also questioned the validity of the appellee’s power of attorney. However, the court ruled that the evidence overwhelmingly supported the Keita estate’s claim.
The Supreme Court affirmed the following key findings:
The Keita estate’s title deed is valid and enforceable.
A mother deed was not necessary for determining the land’s boundaries.
The survey was legally conducted and accurately documented the encroachment.
The jury’s unanimous verdict was consistent with the weight of evidence presented.
The Court instructed the Civil Law Court to enforce the judgment, restore possession to the Keita family using the deed’s metes and bounds, and ruled that all legal costs be borne by the appellants.
This ruling brings to an end a prolonged legal dispute over rightful ownership of land in the Paynesville area. For full details, members of the public may consult the Supreme Court Clerk’s Office or refer to legal archives.
