A land dispute between a local church in Caldwell and a Liberian, resident abroad, is likely to degenerate into violence if care is not taken.
Addison Sherman, based in the US, has vowed to retrieve and repossess his land from the Redeeming Time Pilgrim Ministries Church in upper Caldwell, which is putting up stiff resistance, with threats of violence.
Sherman said several years ago the caretaker of his land, Olu Flomo, out of sympathy granted temporary authority to Pastor Abraham Sarnie to build a makeshift prayer center on his land.
Sherman explained that, instead of a temporary makeshift, Pastor Sarnie erected a concrete structure and has since refused to vacate the land irrespective of repeated orders.
He said, despite the intervention of the Liberia Land Authority, Pastor Sarnie has refused to vacate the land, claiming he bought the land for US$500.
The exchanges over the ownership and repossession of the land has spanned over 10 years, according to Sherman, who denied any payment of US$500 from Pastor Sarnie.
Olu Flomo, the caretaker, has also denied receiving any payment for the land from Pastor Sarnie, saying the church was only permitted to build a temporary makeshift prayer center, and not a concrete structure.
Pastor Sarnie poses a serious challenge to Sherman’s ownership of the land, and has vowed to prevent him or anyone else from constructing on the land.
When contacted on phone, Pastor Sarnie said the Liberia Land Authority is currently investigating the issue of ownership of the land, although he admitted he was granted squatter right by Olu Flomo to build a temporary makeshift prayer center. He claimed there was a change in plan.
Olu Flomo said, upon Sherman’s instructions he repeatedly warned Pastor Sarnie against transforming the makeshift prayer center into a church edifice.
Sherman said his travel to Liberia was prevented by the Ebola outbreak in 2014, and a subsequent plan was also stalled due to COVID-19. He said a formal complaint to the Liberia Land Authority has been shrouded in bureaucracy, while the Pastor has remained adamant, unwilling to vacate the land.