The Civil Law Court’s Resident Judge, Kennedy Peabody, has summoned the Central Bank of Liberia’s Governor, Aloysius Tarlue, to appear September 2, on a charge levied through a lawsuit against the bank.
The lawsuit was brought against the bank on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, for “declaratory judgment” by the Sarpo tribe, regarding a particular specification lacking on the LD$1,000 bank notes
According to the tribal people, the bank did not insert the cultural masks that represent the tribe on the LD$1,000 banknote, as was done with other tribes of Liberia.
According to the Sarpo people, the bank allegedly failed to recognize the tribe as one of the 16 recognized tribes by their cultural mask adorned on the Liberian Dollar bank.
In the writ issued, the court commanded the sheriff of Montserrado County, his or her deputy stating, “You are hereby commanded to summon the above named defendant(s) or respondent(s) in the above captioned case to appear before the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court for Montserrado County, sitting in its June term A.D 2023, on the third Monday in June, A.D 2023, at the hour of 10: A.M., to answer to the complaint or petition of the above named plaintiff (s) or petitioner (s); that upon his, her, or their failure, judgment by default will be rendered against him, her, or them.”
It continued: “You are further commanded to notify the said defendant(s) or respondent(s) to file his, her, or their formal appearance and or answer in my office on or before the second day of September, A.D. 2023.
The writ was received and signed by Doris M. Dweh, the Executive Secretary to the governor on Wednesday, August 23. The 12- count writ was prayed for against the bank by the petitioners, through their legal interest, the Gongloe and Associates Incorporated in Monrovia.
In their petition, the Sarpo tribe, which is the second largest, next to the Kru tribe in Sinoe County, said that the bank was fully aware and had reason to know that the Sarpo tribe is one of the tribes in Liberia, prior to the printing of the new LD$1,000 bank note.
Quoting the 2008 population census, Liberia has 16 tribes and Sarpo people constitute 1.2 percent of the population, which is the latest tribe that has been added in acknowledgement to this fact. Furthermore, the government, through the Ministry of Education, has revised and updated its history and civic curriculum, with the Sarpo tribe now added as one of the tribes of Liberia.
Historicizing, the petitioners say three separate maps of Liberia, drawn in 1937, 1849, and 1862, recorded the Sarpo as a tribe in Liberia.
Additionally, Professor Willie Shultz, author of The New Geography of Liberia, published in 1973 and approved to be taught in all Liberian schools, also mentioned in his book that Krahn, Grebo, and Sarpo tribes crossed the Sassandra River in Ivory Coast to settle in present day Liberia.
The petitioners request the court to rule and declare that they as citizens, or a tribal group of Liberia, have the right to be recognized, just as the other sixteen tribes are recognized, and their cultural masks are adorned on the LD$1,000 bank note.
The Sarpo tribe is found in over 6 sections in Sinoe County, and is accounting for 1.3 percent of the country’s present population of 5.2 million, a result of the recently held National Population and Housing Census (NPHC).
Their petition is supported by a resolution from the tribal group with these submitting signatories of Kpanyoun Philip Wakocco as Chairperson; Siah C. Chen as Secretary, and approved by George Garteh, National Chairman of the Sarpo Appoliebo Development Organization (SADO), and Governor, Theresa Wylie.
And also those who signed for the respective section of the county were Joe S. Nyenpan as Chairman of Wedjah; Polaty Polson as Chairman of Juarzon; Philip S. Doe as Chairman of Seekon; Milton Jargbah as Chairman of Putu; Robert Kumorteh as Chairman of Numopoh; and Quiah S. Wylie as Chairman of Carbadae, all for the Monrovia based community.
While for the Sarpo youth based in Monrovia and its surroundings or environs, those who signed were Robert C. Toteh of Seekon; Linda Quiah of Numopoh; Emmanuel Tugbah of Juarzon; Prince Teiah of Wedjah; Emmerson Saydee of Carbadae; and Darius Lewis.
