By Jacqueline L. Dennis
MONROVIA — The Monrovia City Court has put on hold the issuance of an arrest warrant against officials of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), effectively allowing the party to press ahead with its planned groundbreaking ceremony for a new headquarters in Congo Town on Saturday, October 18.
Stipendiary Magistrate Ben L. Barco confirmed that while the court was prepared on October 15 to issue a writ of arrest in response to a complaint accusing the CDC of criminal trespass, the action was deferred following a motion from the landowner’s legal team. The motion cited ongoing negotiations between the party and the complainant.
The complaint, filed by Safee Edwardson, alleges that CDC officials attempted to hold a groundbreaking ceremony on property still under negotiation, without finalizing payment for the land. Edwardson claims the party approached him to purchase two lots in the Congo Town area, valuing them at more than US$300,000, but only offered US$5,000 as a deposit to facilitate the ceremony before further discussion.
“They came to me expressing interest in buying the land, and I told them clearly that it was valued at over US$300,000. But what disappointed me more is that they offered only US$5,000 to do the groundbreaking and said we would talk about the rest later,” Edwardson told media outlets.
Under court protocol, the writ would have triggered the arrest of CDC officials accused of trespass. But because Edwardson’s counsel petitioned for continued negotiations, the court held back, giving both parties a chance to settle the matter outside of immediate coercive action.
Legal observers caution that the reprieve is temporary. “If talks break down or CDC fails to honor its commitments, the complaint could be reactivated,” one analyst said, noting that the land dispute may still derail the party’s plans.
As of press time, the CDC had not publicly responded to the accusation or the court’s action.
The Broader Context: CDC’s Headquarters Saga
This latest legal challenge follows an earlier, deeply controversial episode in August 2025, when CDC’s former headquarters in Congo Town was demolished under a court-ordered eviction. The property had been occupied by the party since 2005, but internal family disputes over ownership—especially relating to the Bernard estate—had left its status unsettled.
A Supreme Court ruling in August 2025 affirmed that the land belongs to the late Martha Stubblefield Bernard, compelling CDC to settle or vacate. That ruling triggered the demolition, which critics condemned as politically motivated and dismissive of due process.
In a press briefing preceding the demolition, CDC officials asserted they held contractual rights to purchase the property. After the Supreme Court ruling, the party faced demands to pay US$4.2 million to retain the land.
Now, the new headquarters project—set to be built opposite Greater Refuge Cathedral near RC Lawson High School—is viewed by CDC leaders as a symbol of rebirth and permanence, with plans to replicate party offices across all 15 counties.
Implications and Watch Points
The court’s pause on the arrest warrant tempers immediate legal risk for the CDC, but the land dispute remains unresolved. Whether CDC and Edwardson can broker a binding agreement will likely determine if the planned groundbreaking proceeds or becomes another flashpoint in Liberia’s politically fraught land ownership landscape.
Land rights advocates caution that political actors must obey the same laws as ordinary citizens. Unresolved property claims can undermine public confidence in institutions, regardless of party affiliation.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the Saturday ceremony: whether it proceeds peacefully, or whether Edwardson’s suit will ignite renewed legal action and public scrutiny.
