Published: August 13, 2024
Lower Margibi — Several towns and villages around the Armbush Curve in Lower Margibi have become ghost towns, with residents fleeing due to alleged intimidation and harassment by former presidential candidate Robert Morris.
Morris, who contested the 2023 presidential election, is claiming ownership of over 500 acres of land in the area, leading to a heated land dispute that has left locals fearing for their safety.
Residents who have lived on the land for decades reported that their homes have been broken into, and they have been forced to flee due to the alleged actions of Morris.
Emmanuel Saah, a resident and brother to the town chief, described the situation as terrifying. “We often witness armed men, including some LDEA officers, intruding into the area at night, placing us at gunpoint, and demanding we vacate the land,” Saah alleged.
Some residents have been injured during these midnight raids, which are reportedly carried out by officers of the Liberian National Police under the instructions of Robert Morris, The Liberian Investigator gathered.
The former presidential candidate has reportedly informed residents that the land was acquired by his family in the 1970s. According to the locals, Morris has claimed that his actions are a response to local leaders who have allegedly been selling off parts of the land.
“Morris would boast to us that he has absolute control in the security sector and that no one can do anything to him,” Saah told The Liberian Investigator.
The land dispute has also affected ongoing development projects in the area. Liberian gospel musician Charles Sleyon, who is constructing a 100-bed hospital, is one of those affected by the ongoing dispute. He said Morris had approached him, demanding that he vacate the land.
“He told me the land belongs to him and that I should stop the construction,” Sleyon said.
Abraham Garway, a former commissioner of Margibi District #1, has accused Morris of using his connections to intimidate the locals. “There is no land belonging to Robert Morris in this area,” Garway said. “He is forcibly using his links to intimidate the locals and take their lands. We took the land dispute case to court in Margibi, but Morris has refused to appear whenever summoned.”
Despite the growing tension, the Liberia National Police (LNP) has denied any involvement in the matter. Victor Gboyah, a ranking member of the LNP in Margibi, stated, “The LNP is not aware of what has been unfolding in the area, and no officers were instructed to visit the area in question over the land dispute.”
When contacted for a statement, Robert Morris refuted the claims of intimidation and harassment but confirmed that he owns about 500 acres of land in Lower Margibi. “I want to have control over my land,” Morris said. He declined to provide further details, citing that the matter is already in court.
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