Liberia: River Cess Protest Leaders Face Criminal Charges After Accountability Demo

YARPAH TOWN — The dust from the protest lines had barely settled in Yarpah Town when another confrontation emerged — this time not in the streets but in the quiet corridors of the local magisterial court.

On Wednesday, November 4, calm finally returned after four tense days of demonstrations over alleged financial mismanagement in River Cess County. But even as residents resumed their routines, the superintendent whose actions triggered the unrest was preparing a new and unexpected response.

By Tuesday, November 18, protest leader Jerome G. Reeves — an executive member of the ruling Unity Party’s River Cess Chapter — and his lieutenants Alexander Gbediah and John Wheh received formal Notices to Appear from the Yarpah Town Magisterial Court. The writ accuses them of a range of crimes including menacing, riot, physical obstruction of government function, and “terroristic threats.”

The complainant: the Office of the Superintendent — the very authority the protesters had been pressuring for accountability.

A Protest That Brought a Town to a Standstill

The unrest that began November 3 grew out of long-simmering frustrations over alleged discrepancies in county financial records — including three different budget figures for the same Yarpah Town-One House Road project. Protesters argued the inconsistencies underscored a broader pattern of mismanagement of the Plank Toll Fund, a vital source of community revenue.

For four days, they barricaded the toll station, halted its operations, and demanded transparency. A tense confrontation followed when the county finance officer, city mayor, and administrative officer attempted to intervene without Superintendent Byron Zahnwea present.

For four days, the protesters barricaded the toll station, halted its operations, and demanded transparency: Photo by Eric Opa Doue

On the fourth day, a fragile truce was negotiated: an interim committee — consisting of protest leaders and local officials — would run the toll station until November 11, when the superintendent would present a full financial report.

For a moment, it appeared the crisis had slowed.

A Court Notice That Shocked the Town

That calm was short-lived.

The writ served on November 18 accuses Reeves, Gbediah, and Wheh of:

organizing a “violent protest without authority,”

injuring peaceful citizens,

resisting police,

unlawfully seizing the plank office,

threatening government officials, and

conspiring to divert public revenue.

The men are ordered to appear in court on Friday, November 21 at 10:00 a.m. Failure to comply could trigger a writ of arrest.

News of the charges rippled quickly through Yarpah Town.

“What kind of justice is this?” a resident asked near a shop in central Yarpah. “The superintendent agreed to a temporary solution. Now he turns around and carries them to court?”

A Community Split Down the Middle

Some residents support the superintendent, arguing the protesters violated the law.

“They cannot shut down government offices whenever they disagree with something,” one town elder said. “There must be law and order.”

But others see the move as retaliation with political undertones — especially given Reeves’ role in the ruling Unity Party.

“This is political,” said a young man who joined the protest. “You cannot make peace, shake hands, and then drag the same people to court.”

Politics Enters the Tension

Reeves is not just a protest leader — he is deeply embedded in local politics. As an executive within the ruling Unity Party, he has been actively mobilizing for the party’s “Home Coming” program slated for December.

On his official Facebook page, Reeves escalated his rhetoric:

“We are prepared for the battlefield with Mr. Byron W. Zahnwea… River Cess County deserves better than you, Zahnwea.”

His colleague, protest spokesperson Alexander Gbediah, was equally defiant, writing: “We remain unapologetic, unbending — no retreat, no surrender.”

The posts have fueled concerns that what began as a dispute over financial discrepancies may now be transforming into a broader political confrontation.

Protest Leaders Stand Firm

Despite the charges, Reeves — who formally acknowledged receipt of the court notice — remains resolute.

“We came down from the street because we were promised transparency,” he told The Liberian Investigator. “If this is the answer — taking us to court — the people of River Cess will decide what comes next.”

Despite the charges, Reeves — who formally acknowledged receipt of the court notice — remains resolute: Photo by Eric Opa Doue

He warned that if the long-awaited November 11 financial report is not produced, the protest will resume “bigger and louder than before.”

An Interim Committee Already Under Scrutiny

The interim committee managing the plank toll station includes:

Alexander Gbediah, protest spokesperson

Sunday Masseh, a protest ringleader

John Wheh, protest leader

Samuel Jacobs, township staffer;

Commissioner Janjay Zodehgar, serving as treasurer

Luke Gbualo, advisor.

On the fourth day, a fragile truce was negotiated for an interim committee — consisting of protest leaders and local officials to run the toll station until November 11, when the superintendent would present a full financial report:Photo by Eric Opa Doue

Some residents argue that allowing protesters to oversee the very office they accused of wrongdoing undermines the integrity of the process. Others consider it the only step capable of restoring public trust.

A County in Suspense

As the court date approaches, River Cess finds itself in an uneasy pause — torn between competing narratives of accountability, political ambition, and the rule of law.

For now, the streets of Yarpah Town are quiet.

But underneath the surface lies a rising tension — one that could once again pull the community back into the unrest it hoped to leave behind.

By Liberian Investigator.