A private civil divorce case has erupted into a public diplomatic storm, following serious allegations of abuse, threats, and transnational legal entanglements involving a high-ranking Liberian official posted in Nigeria.
Dr. William Deiyan Towah, Director of Administration and Finance (DAF) for the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, filed for divorce on June 16, 2025, at the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court, Civil Law, Montserrado County, Liberia, citing “incompatibility of temper” as grounds for the dissolution of his marriage with Mrs. Ruth Glaywlu Towah.
Court documents confirm that a writ of summons was issued to Mrs. Towah, who resides in Abuja, Nigeria. The summons, dated June 20, 2025, instructed her to respond by June 30 or risk a default judgment. Due to her being outside Liberia’s jurisdiction, the matter required coordination through Liberia’s diplomatic mission in Abuja.
However, what began as a routine civil filing has escalated into a volatile and deeply personal international dispute. Mrs. Towah, in an emotionally charged plea to Liberian authorities and civil society, alleges she is being subjected to ongoing threats, harassment, and physical abuse—claims she links directly to her estranged husband and his associates.
In a formal complaint dated August 3, 2025, addressed to the Liberian Embassy in Abuja, Mrs. Towah detailed a string of alleged abuses, including physical assaults by her husband’s driver and adult son, Mr. Yao Towah. She also accused Dr. Towah of abandoning their Abuja residence for more than five months and attempting to forcibly evict her with armed police, as seen in video footage reportedly circulated privately.
“I am in hell,” she said, lamenting her isolation and the lack of direct access to her husband, whom she claims left their home without notice and moved into an undisclosed location, believed to be a hotel. “He brought police to my home, trying to force me out with violence. I resisted for my safety and dignity.”
These allegations, now in the diplomatic domain, have prompted acknowledgment from Liberia’s Embassy in Abuja. In an official communication dated August 15, 2025, Mr. Robert Dormia, Charge d’Affaires ad interim, confirmed receipt of Mrs. Towah’s complaint and stated that the matter is under review, pending Dr. Towah’s return to Nigeria.
Legal analysts say the case underscores the complexity of cross-border legal disputes involving diplomats and the difficulties of ensuring due process and protection when one party resides outside the court’s jurisdiction.
Mrs. Towah, now reportedly en route to Liberia to intensify her public appeal, is calling on the Liberian government, the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL), human rights groups, and the broader public to intervene on her behalf.
“As a Liberian citizen under your diplomatic jurisdiction, I find it imperative to formally alert Your Excellency of these unfortunate developments and to request that the Embassy take note and, where possible, offer guidance or necessary consular protection,” she wrote to the Liberian Embassy.
Sources close to the case suggest that Dr. Towah may also be returning to Liberia soon, setting the stage for a contentious courtroom battle that could spill further into public and diplomatic spheres.
The Civil Law Court has not announced a date for the next hearing, and it remains unclear whether Mrs. Towah’s formal response to the divorce petition has been received.
As the legal drama unfolds, the case not only highlights the personal fallout between two Liberian nationals but also the broader implications for diplomatic conduct, spousal rights abroad, and the protections afforded to citizens in foreign jurisdictions.
