Monrovia – The Supreme Court now stands as the final arbiter that could award or deny retirement benefits to former President Charles Taylor based on his suit filed to that court seeking redress into the matter.
Court record obtained by this newspaper shows that the high court’s decision in this case was ordered reserved in November 2019 to an unannounced date when arguments were entertained by that court.
A source close to the high court speaking on anonymity claimed that the decision of the court is expected at end of the October 2019 Term.
Mrs. Josephine Taylor, representing her detained husband, who filed the suit, claimed that the former President is entitled to retirement benefits that could run into thousands of United States Dollars because he served as President of Liberia and honorably retired.
During the argument, former President Taylor was represented by former Justice Minister Laveli Supuwood while government was represented by Assistant Justice Minister for Litigation, Cllr. Wesseh Alphonso Wesseh.
Cllr. Supuwood argued that former President Charles Taylor elected by a majority vote in the 1997 Special Presidential Election in the country did honorably retire from office in August 2003 and went into exile in Nigeria.
“Taylor was honorably retired and therefore the Government of Liberia must pay him retirement benefits; we brought the suit to the court because government has refused to comply.”
To the contrary, Assistant Justice Minister for Litigation, Cllr. Wesseh A.Wesseh, counter argued that former President Taylor is not entitled to receive any retirement benefits from government based on the relevant laws as it relates to president and other senior officials, who have resigned honorably and retired to private life.
He informed the court that former President Taylor’s retirement was dis-honorable in August 2003 because prior to leaving office, he was indicted by the War Crimes Court of Sierra Leone for war crimes and crimes against humanity after the War Crimes Court sorted to unseal the indictment against him in June 2003 while he was attending a peace conference on Liberia in Ghana.
“Taylor did not retire honorably and revert to private life with assigned security personnel and staff as contemplated by law,” argued Wesseh.
He further argued that the lady, who brought out the suit on behalf of former President Taylor lacks the legal standing as the affidavit attached to the power of attorney to sue was not verified.
The Assistant Justice Minister said the purpose of verification is for the personal appearance of the affiant before the Notary Public Officer for taken of oath.
According to Wesseh, Josephine Taylor claimed that she and former President Taylor got wedded in 2002 at the time when Taylor was already married to Mrs. Jewel Howard Taylor, who was the First Lady of Liberia then.
“The Domestic Relation Law of Liberia forbids a spouse to marry another person when the other spouse is still alive,” said Wesseh, who appealed to the high court to dismiss and deny the petition.