The Associate Justice presiding in chambers of the Supreme Court, His Honor Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, Sr., has placed a stay order on all further proceedings and/or actions in the case involving the Testate Estate of Matha Stubblefield Bernard, the Interstate Estate of William Thomas Bernard and the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).
Judge Gbeisay issued the stay order on Thursday, October 10, 2024 after the CDC filed a petition for the writ of mandamus, citing the Assigned Circuit Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Her Honor Golda A. Bonah Elliott, to a conference with him on Friday, October 18, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., in connection with the case.
Associate Justice Gbeisay mandated Judge Elliot to stay all further proceedings and/or actions in the matter pending the outcome of the conference.
The CDC was written by the Inspector General of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Gregory O.W. Coleman, on October 7, 2024 to attend a meeting with J. Jonny Momoh & Associates Legal Chambers, representing the Intestate Estate of the late Martha Stubblefield Bernard and the LNP at the LNP headquarters on October 10, 2024 at 11:30 a.m.
According to IG Coleman’s letter to CDC Chairman, Janga Augustus Kowo, the assembly was called at the behest of the LNP following a request from the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Montserrado County. “The court has sought the support of the Liberia National Police in executing the judgment of the Supreme Court of Liberia regarding the case mentioned in the document attached below…” the letter read in part.
However, the intent of the LNP meeting was overrode by the Supreme Court’s stay order on the matter.