Ganta Court Orders Release of Ex-Mayor Suah

The Ganta Magisterial Court has ordered the immediate release of former Ganta City Mayor Amos N. G. Suah, less than a week after sentencing him to 30 days in prison for contempt of court. The release order, reportedly posted on social media, was signed by Stipendiary Magistrate Cllr. Sam Nya Harris and directed the superintendent of the Sanniquellie Central Prison to release Suah from custody immediately. "Dear Superintendent, you are hereby commanded to release from your custody the living body of Amos N. G. Suah, defendant charged and found guilty of Contempt of Court and for so doing this shall constitute your legal and sufficient authority," the order stated. The superintendent of the Sanniquellie Central Prison confirmed Suah's release, saying the same court that imposed the sentence had also ordered his release. Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn "The same court that sentenced him, it is the same court that released him, so he is released," the superintendent said. Suah was sentenced on September 29, 2026, after the Ganta Magisterial Court found him in contempt over comments he made during a radio broadcast concerning a court-ordered eviction and demolition involving disputed property in Ganta. His imprisonment generated widespread debate in Nimba County, with supporters and other citizens questioning whether the court's decision infringed upon his freedom of speech. Some sympathizers described the action as a possible political or judicial overreach, while the court maintained that Suah's conduct went beyond legitimate criticism and amounted to an attack on the authority of the judiciary. One resident identified only as Matthew said the decision could have a chilling effect on public discussion. "The court decision to jail Amos undermined freedom of speech, and it also makes people afraid of speaking their minds on the radio or publicly," he said, declining to give his full name. Other citizens criticized Chief Justice Gbeisaye for what they described as excessive interference in the matter, although the case itself was heard in open court and Suah was represented by legal counsel. Suah's release follows several days of uncertainty among his supporters. Unconfirmed reports of his possible release had circulated in Ganta since Sunday, with some residents claiming that the former mayor had expressed a desire to remain in custody until he completed his sentence. Hundreds of sympathizers had reportedly visited the Sanniquellie Central Prison following his imprisonment, turning his detention into a major topic of discussion throughout Ganta and other parts of Nimba County. In its September 29 verdict, the Ganta Magisterial Court sentenced Suah to 30 days in prison and imposed a US$100 fine. The court also ordered him, after serving his sentence, to appear on two radio stations to retract statements made during a recent radio program that the court considered demeaning and capable of inciting the public against its decision concerning the eviction of occupants from the disputed property. Following the verdict, Suah was handcuffed and transferred under heavy security to the Sanniquellie Central Prison as a large crowd of sympathizers gathered. Suah was seen in tears shortly after being handcuffed but later waved to supporters while being escorted to a Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency pickup vehicle for transfer to the prison. The contempt case stemmed from a long-running property dispute involving approximately 1.5 lots of land in Ganta adjacent to an area that had been declared eminent domain in 2010 during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. On September 16, 2026, the Ganta Magisterial Court ordered the eviction of Ma Love Business Center, Mahammeh Bility and Seba Kromah from the property, which the court ruled was legally owned by the Musa Turay Intestate Estate. Following the eviction and demolition on September 22, Suah appeared on Voice of Gompa radio and argued that the dis