Sinoe County Senator, Milton Teahjay, has told newsmen that he has no vehicle belonging to Patricia Flomo, whom he claimed is an ex-fiancé of his brother, Patrick Teahjay, who lives in the United States of America. He accused Flomo of trying to criminally claim a vehicle sent by his brother from the US.
Recently, Patricia Flomo, a resident of the United States, filed a complaint with the court against Senator Teahjay, claiming that he is in possession of a vehicle belonging to her. According to her, she was advised by Patrick Teahjay to send the vehicle to the Senator in order that he may use his duty-free privilege to clear it from the Freeport of Monrovia. She also accused him of falsifying the vehicle’s documents to legitimize his claim of property.
But in a press conference yesterday, November 15, 2021, Senator Teahjay clarified that when his brother, Patrick, and Patricia were separating, Patrick, who then had three cars, decided to give two of the cars to Patricia and keep one because he was on his way to get a new apartment. Senator Teahjay explained that when the winter was approaching Patrick decided to purchase a bigger car, and could not keep the car he sent him because of insurance and other tags.
“When they were separating, Patrick told her to take two cars and all the things in the house. He made the decision to send the vehicle to me. I cleared the vehicle from the Freeport of Monrovia and has since been using it because it was sent as his property,” Senator Teahjay told newsmen.
He however stated that, on the contrary, Patricia came into the country recently claiming that the car Patrick sent him belongs to her, so it should be given to her.
Speaking further, the senator explained that Patricia Flomo took his complaint him to his colleague, Senator Prince Y. Johnson: he had her car, and she wanted it. Teahjay also said Patricia made another representation to Cllr. Arthur Johnson to secure his legal services to take him to court, which he said took him by surprise because the issue of vehicle had never been a point of discussion between him and Patricia.
“I called my younger brother in the US before Cllr. Johnson and Patricia Flomo to point out who owns the vehicle. When the called was placed to Patrick, he said the car does not belong to Patricia—that it was sent to me,” the Senator further explained.
Teahjay said that it was later, and surprisingly to him, that Patricia went to the Magisterial Court and filed a complaint that he has a car for her, but upon receiving the citation from the court he said he was not inclined to honor the citation because under Article 42 of the Constitution a Senator in session cannot be arrested, detained or prosecuted.
Article 42 says, “No member of the Senate or House of Representatives shall be arrested, detained, prosecuted or tried as a result of opinions expressed or votes cast in the exercise of the functions of his office. Members shall be privileged from arrest while attending, going to or returning from sessions of the Legislature, except for treason, felony or breach of the peace…”
According to him, seeing it as an error, Judge Jomah of the Magisterial Court instructed his clerk to withdraw the citation, saying it was sent to the Senator inadvertently.
He expounded that Patricia then proceeded to Judge Koiboi K. Nuta, Criminal Court “B”, to cite him in chambers, but the Senator said he informed the Judge that he was in session and could not sit in conference. He said a similar letter was written to Judge Nutah under the signature of his Chief of Staff (COS), that he is not inclined to sit for conference. He said he further alerted Judge Nuta to take keen interest not to repeat such a citation during the session period because he could be held in contempt by the Senate.
Senator Teahjay said because of Judge Nuta’s refusal to withdraw the citation, he is in consultation with his lawyers to reach out to him because nobody is above the Constitution.
The Senator said, “Judges are under obligation to be people who will interpret the law. Just as the Constitution protects judges, that you cannot hold them responsible for the judgment they handle on cases, the same Constitution tells the judges not to cite a lawmaker who is in session.”
It may be recalled that a Liberian female residing in the United States of America, Patricia Flomo, filed a formal complaint before Criminal Court “B” against Sinoe County Senator, Milton Teahjay, accusing him of deceitfully obtaining her vehicle and refusing to turn it over to her.
Based on the complaint, the Resident Judge of Criminal Court “B”, Koiboi K. Nuta, cited Senator Teahjay and the complainant, Patricia Flomo, to appear in court Wednesday, November 10, 2021 in the Judge’s Chamber. However the Sinoe Senator did not show up for the meeting at the court and, instead, wrote a communication threatening Judge Nuta with removal from his post.
In the complaint, Flomo, who is visiting Liberia, said she was constrained to take legal action due to Senator Teahjay’s action against her.
She explained that Teahjay had promised to use his legislative immunity to clear her vehicle from the Freeport of Monrovia after she was introduced to him by the lawmaker’s brother, Patrick Teahjay, also a resident of the United States of America.
Patricia Flomo said Senator Teahjay cleared her vehicle in early March 2021. She said she instructed that the vehicle be turned over to her late father, but the Senator allegedly refused to do so. She alleged that Senator Teahjay had insisted that the car belonged to him.
Further, Flomo said when Senator Teahjay’s lawyer, Arthur Johnson, was contacted, he arranged a conference wherein she produced all legitimate documents regarding her ownership of the car.
“It will shock you to know that the Senator falsified all the car documents and had it registered in his name,” she alleged.
In his response to the court’s citation, Teahjay said he acknowledged the citation from the office of the Judge of Criminal Court “B”.
The communication, which is under the signature of Teahjay’s Chief of Office Staff, informed Judge Nuta that the Legislature was in session and that the citation was in clear contravention of the senator’s immunity, as enshrined in Article 42 of the Constitution.
“The Senator would also have me inform you for onward information to Judge Nuta that, considering the citation—it interfered with and or obstructed the senator’s legislative duties and responsibilities,” Teahjay’s office said.
It warned, “Judge Natu could be cited for contempt of the Liberian Senate and removed from office at its next session should he repeat this violation by citing a senator sitting in legislative session, as is provided for by Section 31 of the Legislative Standing Rules.”