MONROVIA, Liberia — A family identified as the Chuks family has called for government intervention following allegations that their property along the Japanese Highway, adjacent to CEMENCO, was demolished and their residence fenced off while a land dispute involving a Lebanese businessman, Ali Kafel, remains before a court.
Mrs. Olivia Ferguson Chuks, the family’s spokesperson, told Verity News that the family had occupied the half-lot property for more than 20 years and operated a business, Jubilee Auto Ventures, on the premises before the alleged demolition.
She accused Kafel of ordering the demolition without a court order or prior court notice to the family, raising concerns about the circumstances surrounding the destruction of their business property while the dispute is reportedly being litigated.
“Our store and upstairs house have been on the land. Only to wake up to news from a Lebanese man claiming our land,” Mrs. Chuks said.
According to her, their family subsequently filed a lawsuit after their store was demolished. However, she alleged that activities on the disputed property continued despite the pending court proceedings.
“As we speak, the case is currently in court while they’re fencing our place,” she said.
In a video provided to Verity News, the upstairs house where the Chuks family reportedly resides appears to be enclosed by fencing.
Mrs. Chuks alleged that the fencing was erected at the direction of Kafel, further restricting the family’s access to or use of the property.
She also claimed that other individuals were affected by the demolitions, alleging that structures and belongings were destroyed without adequate notice.
“They just came breaking people’s things down, and for us, we didn’t get even a court notice,” she said.
Mrs. Chuks maintained that only a mosque and the family’s house remained standing on the disputed land following the alleged demolitions.
The family’s account raises questions about the circumstances under which the demolitions were carried out, including whether any court order authorized the action and what legal authority, if any, was relied upon.
However, Verity News has not independently verified the alleged absence of a court order, the ownership status of the disputed property, or the circumstances surrounding the reported demolitions.
Businessman Denies Allegations
When contacted by Verity News, Ali Kafel denied the allegations against him, stating that there was no land dispute between him and the Chuks family.
His denial directly contradicts the family’s account of an ongoing legal dispute over the property.
Kafel’s response did not establish the basis for the family’s allegations or clarify the circumstances surrounding the reported demolition and fencing. Further details concerning his position, including any documents supporting his denial, were not available at the time of publication.
Family Appeals for Government Intervention
Mrs. Chuks appealed to the Liberian government to intervene, expressing frustration over what she described as the treatment of her family on property they have occupied for more than two decades.
“We can’t be treated this way in our own land. The government needs to intervene,” she said.
The dispute places renewed attention on the importance of resolving land ownership conflicts through established legal procedures, particularly where allegations of demolition arise while a matter is reportedly before the courts.
The outcome of the reported court proceedings may help clarify the competing claims, while any determination of responsibility for the alleged demolition will depend on the relevant evidence and legal findings
