Monrovia – The Civil Law Court “A” at the Temple of Justice headed by its Resident Judge Yussif Kaba has set June 17, 2019, as the date for hearing US$500,000 damages lawsuit filed by the Common People of Liberia against Liberty Party’s Darius Dillion.
In March 2019, Joseph Brown Executive Director of the Plebeians and Common People of Liberia through its legal counsel Atty. David Katiah filed to the Sixth Judicial Civil Law Court a complaint alleging Dillion “with wicked, cruel and malicious intent to injure his group’s image and damaged its reputation built over time in attracting donors commitment and support for its humanitarian services to the common people of Liberia, secretly and illegally video recorded a 45 minute pre-screening physical fitness exercise of the group”.
Brown claims Dillon published and posted the video on his Facebook page, which is a public social media platform, falsely and malicious claiming that Brown was training militiamen and rebels who are due to be used by the Government as a death squad, the commission of which acts constitute a crime under the penal law of Liberia.
Brown further alleged that after Defendant Dillon published and posted the video and fabricated falsehood he shared same with thousands of Facebook friends and followers, who in turn disseminated and circulated the falsehood on social media with millions of Facebook users.
“Wherefore and in view of the foregoing facts, Plaintiff/Brown prays your honor to hold the within Defendant liable and enter judgment against the Defendant for Damages in the amount of US$500,000,00 and grant unto Plaintiff any and all such relief as your honor may deem just, legal and equitable,” Brown’s complaint added.
In his Answer to the complaint through his lawyer, Cllrs, Augustine Toe Wiefueh Sayeh, asked the court to dismiss the plaintiff’s complaint because he does not have information enough to form the belief as to the truthfulness the Plebeians Common People of Liberia being a non-profit organization providing humanitarian and charitable services.
Dillon’s lawyers contend that the facts that the plaintiff/Brown admitted that he recorded the physical fitness exercise, “what is the guarantee that none of the candidates that took part in the said exercise did not video record the process and sent it to their friends and family as is done with everything now in Liberia that appears on the Facebook?”.
Defendant Dillion denied posting the video on his Facebook page but rather received saw it on the same medium and made comment.
“Wherefore and in view of the foregoing, Defendant prays that your honor will rule and dismiss the action of damages for libel and grant unto the Defendant any and all further relief as your honor deem just and equitable in such case,” Dillion’s lawyer concluded.