ECOWAS Court delivers judgment in ex-Liberian president’s case

The ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States Court in Abuja has fixed Friday to deliver judgment on a suit filed by Liberian former President, Charles Taylor, demanding his unpaid pension and other benefits.

The court who disclosed this in a statement, noting that Justice Dupe Atoki would preside over the three-man panel that would decide the matter.

Other Justices on the panel are Justices Mohamed Koroma and Ricardo Goncalves.

According to the court in a statement, Taylor, who served as the 22nd President of Liberia from August 2, 1997 until his resignation on August 11 2003, as a result of the Second Liberian Civil War and growing international pressure, is praying the ECOWAS Court to declare that the state violated his human rights by refusing to pay his pension and other benefits.

75-year-old Charles Taylor said the suit was also to protect his 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.

Taylor in addition, is urging the ECOWAS Court to compel the state to pay $5,000 as his solicitor’s fees and other incidental costs.

Meanwhile in opposition to the suit, the Republic of Liberia stated that Taylor did not qualify for the entitlements provided for in the Act of July 6, 1978, on the grounds that he did not retire honourably.

“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 country said.

The respondent also said the former President was under a criminal indictment by the Special Court of Sierra Leone.

The government further claimed that in view of the prevailing political and military situation in the country at the time, and in order to save his life, the former President negotiated and accepted an arrangement

Under the arrangement, he resigned and was exiled to Nigeria where he was arrested while trying to flee, and ultimately sent for trial at the Special Court.