Rédaction Africa Links 24 with New Dawn
Published on 2024-02-20 00:24:15
A young Liberian man, Theo Joseph, Jr., is considering taking legal action against Montserrado County Attorney Cllr. Alhaji Swahilo Sesay for alleged harassment, unethical conduct, detestation, intimation, and gross abuse of power. During a press conference in Monrovia, Mr. Joseph claimed that Cllr. Sesay instructed state security assigned to him to subject him to an agreement that has no legal standing.
According to Joseph, the alleged harassment stemmed from a complaint filed by his landlady of the Morris Kaliva Estate in Paynesville. He was summoned for a conference based on this complaint. During the conference, he alleged that he was told to sign a document indicating that he had agreed to his landlady’s property. However, he had reservations about the document as it lacked a letterhead and did not address the issue of his electricity and water supply being cut off. When he refused to sign, he claimed that he was unlawfully detained and placed under arrest in Cllr. Sesay’s office under his instruction.
Joseph further claimed that under the alleged instruction of Cllr. Sesay, he was prevented from leaving the office if he did not sign a document committing him to leave the property. He denounced these actions as an abuse of power, intimidation, harassment, assault, gross misconduct, and a violation of his fundamental rights.
Vowing to take legal action against the County Attorney, Joseph stated that he is doing so to prevent similar occurrences in the future and asserted that he wants the mistreatment to stop. In response, Cllr. Sesay denied the allegations and described Mr. Theo Joseph as a rude individual, insinuating that his behavior was influenced by his American background.
Cllr. Sesay confirmed that Joseph came to his office and was instructed to sign a document committing to leave the landlady’s premises by a specific date. He emphasized that, despite facing resistance from Joseph, he did not instruct the security assigned to him to detain, arrest, or abuse Joseph. Cllr. Sesay also mentioned that he has the power to detain, arrest, and prosecute individuals but did not exercise that power in this case.
It is worth noting that the Supreme Court of Liberia suspended Cllr. Sesay from the practice of law, directly and indirectly, within Liberia for one month starting from 11 August 2023. This suspension was a result of his complacency in the face of the lawless conduct of his clients, which led to the interference and obstruction of the enforcement of the Supreme Court’s mandate. The court cited his previous warnings for unethical behavior and suspended him for one month with immediate effect.
The decision was related to a property case in 2019 in which Sesay represented clients involved in a property dispute in the City of Paynesville. This context sheds light on Cllr. Sesay’s history and the allegations made by Mr. Theo Joseph against him.
In conclusion, the allegations of harassment, abuse of power, and misconduct made by Theo Joseph against Cllr. Alhaji Swahilo Sesay are serious and raise concerns about the conduct of legal professionals in Liberia. The legal action that Theo Joseph is considering could shed light on the behavior of Cllr. Sesay and the broader issue of ethical conduct within the legal system. This case highlights the importance of accountability and the fair treatment of individuals within the legal system to ensure the protection of their fundamental rights.
Read the original article on The Newdawn Liberia
