Africa
THE ECOWAS Court of Justice, will on Thursday, 8th June 2023 deliver judgment in a suit filed by former Liberian President, Dr. Charles Taylor asking the Court to order the Republic of Liberia to pay his pension and other benefits for 20 years following his 11th August 2003 resignation from office.
In his 10-page initiating application filed before the Court, the former President asked for a
declaration that the refusal of the Respondent to pay him his pension and other
retirement benefits from August 11, 2003 till date is illegal and a violation of his human right,
including the right to own property guaranteed by Article 14 of the African Charter of Human
and Peoples Rights and Article 17 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
He also asked the Court for an order mandating the Respondent, the Republic of Liberia to
pay his pension and other retirement benefits from August 11, 2003 till date, plus 6% interest
per month and thereafter made the payment of his pension benefits current.
In addition, he asked for order mandating the country to provide for staff, security and
legally prescribed transportation for his wife and children, in Applicant’s presence, for the
remainder of the lives as well as pay him the sum of $5,000 ( five thousand dollars) being the
solicitor’s fees and other incidental costs.
But in its defence the Republic of Liberia stated that the former President did not qualify for
the entitlements provided for in the Act of 6th July 1978 cited by the Applicant as the basis for the suit as he did not retire honourably, which would mean voluntarily quitting office, having reached a certain age but was under a criminal indictment by the Special Court of Sierra Leone.
“ The Act qualifies in clear and unequivocal terms the mode and manner of a President’s retirement and his status after retirement in order for him or her to benefit under the provision of the Act,” the State said in its response..
The government further contended that in view of the prevailing political and military situation in the country and in order to save his life, the former president negotiated and accepted an arrangement under which he resigned and was exiled to Nigeria where he was arrested while trying to flee and ultimately sent for trial at the Special Court.
On the panel for the case are Justices Dupe Atoki, presiding, Mohamed Sengu Koroma and Ricardo Claudio Monteiro Goncalves
TS
Tags: Dr. Charles Taylor Justices Dupe Atoki Mohamed Sengu Koroma Ricardo Claudio Monteiro Goncalves
