What Really Went Wrong?
PHOTO: AFL soldier Gayflor Dardu ( in handcuffed weaving civilian clothes) at the Civil Law Court in Monrovia
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Monrovia, Liberia- It was in the early afternoon when a group of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) soldiers thronged the Civil Law Court Annex ‘A’ at the Temple of Justice on Capitol Hill, with an individual handcuffed who was not in army uniform.
The drama ended up with a Facebook post alleging that the handcuffed individual was AFL soldier Gayflor Dardu, a member of the AFL who has been dishonorably discharged for alleged failure to pay over US10, 000 he owes some members of the public.
Debt actions are to be in the debt court and not to be at the Civil Law Court. Questions have been raised by some human rights watchers. Why was officer Dardu brought at the Civil Law court to be prosecuted?
Soldier Dardu was jailed for 60 days at the coast guard base by men of the Army after several attempts made to secure his release despite the fact that he made a commitment for the said money to be deducted from his monthly salary.
A receipt of US$5,000.00 part-payment in the possession of this news outlet made to Major Selmah Alexander, on May 27,2024 received from Mr. Robert Henry Johnson ii, President of the law school students association of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law which soldier Dardu is a student of .
A findings worksheet in our possession shows that soldier Dardu was never represented by a lawyer during their investigations throughout.
The findings revealed that Dardu having knowledge of the lawful order issued by Provost Marshall to pay money he owed some soldiers for tricycles, an order which was duty to obey at the BTC barracks on January 31,2024, but allegedly failed to obey.
AFL soldier Dardu, according to the worksheet findings, was charged, found guilty and punishment recommended on the same day without being represented by a lawyer despite several efforts being made for a lawyer to represent him but refused on ground that a civilian cannot represent a solider.
Despite intervention made through the court twice based on Petition for Judicial Review for the release of officer Dardu, the AFL high command refused the court order and kept officer Dardu in detention for nearly three months.
Based on their refusal to have officer Dardu released, Judge Golda Bona Elliott of Civil Court A summoned authorities of the AFL to appear before the court to show reason why they refusing to release officer Dardu.
The writ of summons said:
“YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED TO SUMMONS THE ABOVE NAMED RESPONDENT/DEFENDANT(S) IN THE ABOVE ENTITLED CAUSE OF ACTION, TO APPEAR BEFORE THE JUNE TERM, A.D. 2024, SAME BEING THE 17″ DAY OF JUNE, A. D. 2024, AT THE HOUR OF 10:00 A.M.
It further states:
“YOU ARE FURTHER ORDERED TO SUMMONS THE RESPONDENT(S)/DEFENDANT (S) HEREIN TO FILE HIS/HER/THEIR RETURN(S)/ANSWER(S) TO THE PETITIONERS)/PLAINTIFF(S) PETITION/COMPLAINT, ON OR BEFORE THE 24TH DAY OF JULY, A.D. 2024.
FAILURE TO DO So, DEFAULT JUDGMENT WILL BE RENDERED AGAINST HIM/HER/THEM. FURTHER, THE RESPONDENTS ARE ORDERED TO STAY ALL FURTHER PROCEEDINGS IN THIS MATTER AND HAVE THE PETITIONER IMMEDIATELY RELEASE FROM CUSTODY, PENDING THE HEARING OF THE PETITION FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW.”
MEANWVHILE, YOU WILL RETURN THE ORIGINAL WRIT OF SUMMONS TO MY OFFICE ON/OR BEFORE THE 24′”” DAY OF JUNE, A.D. 2024, WITH THE OFFICIAL RETURNS ENDORSED ON THE BACK OF THE ORIGINAL AS TO THE MANNER OF ITS SERVICE.”
However, AFL soldier Dardu wass been temporarily released into his lawyer’s custody on Friday August 2,2024, after spending nearly three months in detention at the Coast Guard base.
On Friday August 2,2024, soldier Dardu was handcuffed and brought at the Civil law Annex A at the Temple of Justice after being disrobed and dismissed from the AFL in a press release issued by the AFL.