Liberian advocate for justice against alleged war crimes Mr. Hassan Bility has rejected a complaint filed against him and the Global Justice and Research Project (GIRP) by Dr. Agnes Reeves – Taylor, the ex-wife of imprisoned former Liberian President Charles Ghankay Taylor, saying that he committed no wrong against Dr. Reeves – Taylor.
In an answer filed for him and GIRP following Dr. Reeves – Taylor’s complaint, Mr. Bility has requested the Civil Law Court in Monrovia to dismiss the lawsuit because he committed no wrong that warrants any reservation or disagreement by Dr. Reeves – Taylor with GIRP’s research and investigations or its findings.
Mr. Bility argued that GIRP is a duly incorporated and licensed non-governmental entity under the laws of the Republic of Liberia to undertake research and conduct investigations into acts that tend to abuse human rights.
He further contends in his answer that his group is also licensed to investigate acts of violence and torture against people and crimes against human rights.
Recently, Dr. Reeves – Taylor filed a lawsuit against GIRP, represented by Liberian – based institution La Joy and Civitas Maxima (CM), based in Geneva, Switzerland, Mr. Hassan Bility of GIRP, and Alain Werner of Civitas Maxima.
She filed the suit before the Civil Law Court in Monrovia for damages for malicious prosecution/wrong, accusing the institutions, along with Bility and Werner of allegedly conniving and inflicting untold suffering and pains against her.
Dr. Reeves – Taylor is seeking to use the court process here to hold Bility, Werner and their institutions to account for their alleged false accounts which led the criminal justice system in the United Kingdom to prosecute her for alleged torture charges, though the U.K. court systems later dismissed the charges against her.
She lamented that when she got arrested in the U.K., she lost her earnings, and she was professionally ruined. Among other things, Dr. Reeves – Taylor said she was working as an Academic, a consultant, head of program for the Energy Department, and a Senior Lecturer at Coventry University in London when she was arrested.
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According to her, she was “very humiliated by these outrageous lies” that impacted her ability to continue her association with her professional work.
But Mr. Bility argued that he cannot be held personally liable, explaining that he is the founder of GIRP that conducted the research and investigation from which alleged evidence was gathered on Dr. Reeves – Taylor’s conduct.
“Co-Defendants herein contend that there is no basis, nor is there any legal probity to imagine a claim of malicious prosecution against them as the law extant in this jurisdiction and hoary with age is so clear, emphatic, easily comprehensible, unambiguous, and instructive on the elements of malicious prosecution,” said Mr. Bility.
Bility insisted that there is absolute and complete probable cause to reason and conclude that GIRP’s findings in the various parts of Liberia and beyond “were true,” to the best of the scientifically conducted investigations, which were allegedly free of any inducement to any of the witnesses to carve out false stories against Dr. Reeves – Taylor.
Several rights groups, some Liberian-based and others operating from abroad, are researching for probable causes that could lead to the prosecution of individuals who committed heinous crimes and crimes against humanity during the 14-year Liberian Civil War.
Dr. Reeves – Taylor was the wife of jailed former President Taylor when he launched the rebel invasion of Liberia on December 25, 1989, which subsequently toppled the regime of slain President Samuel Kanyon Doe in September 1990, characterized by huge rights violations.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/taylor-sues-hassan-bility-others/ Editing by Jonathan Browne
