Published: December 15, 2025
Rev. Randolph E. Tebbs Sr.
MONROVIA — After a prolonged and contentious legal battle, the Monrovia Civil Law Court has ruled in favor of Rev. Randolph E. Tebbs Sr. in a two-lot land dispute in Gbangbe Town, VOA Community, Montserrado County Electoral District No. 17, declaring him the lawful owner and warning Madam Wannie Swen Fortune against further trespass.
The final judgment followed Madam Fortune’s repeated failure to appear before the court, despite multiple writs and re-summonses, while court records show Tebbs consistently complied with all legal proceedings. The ruling effectively closes a dispute that has lingered for years and tested the authority of both the courts and the Liberia Land Authority.
The dispute began when Madam Fortune laid claim to two lots of land occupied by Tebbs, prompting him to seek judicial intervention to resolve the matter. To establish the legitimacy of the competing claims, the Civil Law Court ordered both parties to submit to investigative and administrative surveys conducted by the Liberia Land Authority, the state institution mandated to resolve land disputes.
A Land Dispute Resolution team led by Edward B. Gworlekaju, with investigators Augustine Joan and John Wilson Akoto, carried out the surveys and analyzed all deeds submitted by both parties. According to the official report, Tebbs purchased the land from James G. Glay and Joanna G. Glay, and his warranty deed was found to be valid, properly probated and consistent with the physical ground points.
“It is observed that party A presented a warranty deed according to deed information,” the report stated, adding that Tebbs’ deed was probated in October 2004, with a mother deed dating back to July 2003. Although the ground measurement showed 1.84 lots instead of the two claimed on paper, investigators said the meets and bounds corresponded accurately with the land on the ground.
By contrast, the survey found that while Madam Fortune’s deed, obtained from J. Samuel Brown and Morris G. Payen and probated in August 2013, appeared valid on its face, its meets and bounds did not align with the physical land being claimed.
“It is observed that party B’s deed meets and bounds are correct but did not correspond with the ground shown,” the report concluded.
Based on these findings, the Liberia Land Authority formally recognized Tebbs as the legitimate owner of the disputed property and recommended that Madam Fortune negotiate with him if any structures had already been erected on the land.
As tensions escalated during the investigation, the Land Authority issued a stop order on Sept. 14, 2023, directing Madam Fortune and others to halt all construction activities on the disputed property pending the outcome of the investigation.
“The Liberia Land Authority wishes to inform you that predicated on the allegation, you are hereby ordered to stop all construction activities on such property until a full-scale investigation is done,” the order said, warning that violations would trigger further legal action.
Despite the stop order and subsequent court summonses, Madam Fortune failed to appear in court. On Oct. 2, the Civil Law Court summoned her to respond to Tebbs’ ejectment action, followed by a re-summons on Oct. 16 filed by Tebbs’ lawyer, Atty. Henry B. Sackie. Court documents also show that writs of arrest were later issued from the Paynesville Magisterial Court on allegations of criminal trespass and disorderly conduct.
With personal service repeatedly frustrated, Tebbs’ legal team petitioned the court for service by publication, citing provisions of the Civil Procedure Law that allow such action when a defendant avoids service. The court granted the request on Dec. 10, authorizing registered newspapers in Montserrado County to publish the ruling and related notices.
The court said execution of the publication order constitutes sufficient legal authority for Tebbs’ ownership and enforcement of the judgment.
In its final ruling, the Civil Law Court declared Tebbs the lawful owner of the land and cautioned Madam Fortune against any further encroachment. The decision, the court said, underscores the role of due process, technical evidence and compliance with lawful orders in resolving Liberia’s persistent land disputes.
With the judgment now published and enforceable, the court said the long-running case has been conclusively settled, restoring clarity and finality to ownership of the contested property.
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