Verity News investigation has revealed that the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) has stepped in to prevent a disputed parcel of land in Bong County from becoming another flashpoint for violence, as conflicting ownership claims and allegations of fraudulent land transactions continue to emerge.
This paper was reliably informed that the dispute was officially filed with Bong County Land Administrator, Amelia Cassell, in February of this year by Ernest M. Cassell. The complaint names John Kouh, Dopoe G. Menkaizon, Moses Stubberfield and Cllr. J. Alvin Blackie as respondents.
“We received the complaint in February and immediately issued conference citations to all the parties involved. Unfortunately, the respondents did not honor the first mediation conference despite being duly served,” Cassell said.
She explained that the respondents’ failure to appear stalled the mediation process and left the Authority with little choice but to consider referring the matter to the LLA headquarters and the court.
Cassell said the case later took another twist when individuals who claimed to have been involved in selling the disputed property approached the LLA and warned the public not to conduct business with Cllr. Alvin Blackie and Moses Stubberfield.
“Those individuals alleged that the deed given to them was fraudulent. We also understand that a related matter has been filed before the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court,” she said.
According to Cassell, Cllr. Blackie, in response to the allegations, claimed that the disputed deed had been presented to him by John Kouh and Dopoe G. Menkaizon.
“With these claims and counterclaims before us, we decided to issue a stop order on the disputed land until the matter is properly investigated and resolved. Our priority is to prevent conflict and protect lives,” she said.
Cassell noted that the decision was influenced by lessons from previous land disputes in Bong County that turned violent and resulted in deaths and the destruction of property.
She disclosed that Cllr. Blackie and Moses Stubberfield later filed summary proceedings against the LLA’s Bong County Office before the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court.
According to her, the court subsequently directed all parties to cooperate with the LLA’s mediation process.
Cassell said that during a later conference, John Kouh and Dopoe G. Menkaizon alleged that Cllr. Blackie had provided them with the disputed deed.
“Because of those allegations, we scheduled another mediation conference to give Cllr. Blackie the opportunity to respond. Every party deserves to be heard before any conclusion is reached,” she said.
She added that although Cllr. Blackie reportedly declined to accept the second conference citation and did not attend the first mediation conference held on June 23, 2026, the LLA still expects him to appear at the next hearing.
“Our role is to ensure that every party is heard and that the matter is resolved peacefully and in accordance with the law. We remain committed to a fair and transparent process,” Cassell said.
The claims contained in the complaint remain allegations and have not been determined by a court of law.
