Teahjay: I have no vehicle for Patricia

Sinoe County Senator Milton Teahjay says he has no vehicle belonging to Madam Patricia Flomo, a U.S.- based Liberian who has complained the lawmaker to Criminal Court“ B” in Monrovia, accusing him of refusing to turn over her vehicle. Senator Teahjay alleges that Ms. Flomo is trying to criminally claim a vehicle allegedly sent to him by his brother who is also based in…

Sinoe County Senator Milton Teahjay says he has no vehicle belonging to Madam Patricia Flomo, a U.S. – based Liberian who has complained the lawmaker to Criminal Court “B” in Monrovia, accusing him of refusing to turn over her vehicle.

Senator Teahjay alleges that Ms. Flomo is trying to criminally claim a vehicle allegedly sent to him by his brother who is also based in the U.S. He claimed that Ms. Flomo is his brother Patrick Teahjay’s ex-fiancée.

He told a press conference Monday, 15 November 2021 at his Capitol Building office that Ms. Flomo claimed that he is in possession of a vehicle belonging to her.

According to him, Ms. Flomo explained that she sent the vehicle to Senator Teahjay to clear it from the Freeport of Monrovia, using his duty-free privilege as a Senator.

He added that Ms. Flomo also accused him of falsifying the vehicle documents to legitimize his claim of property.

But Senator Teahjay clarified that when his brother Patrick Teahjay and Patricia Flomo were separating, his brother had three cars and decided to give two of the cars to Patricia while he took one because he was on his way to get a new apartment.

Senator Teahjay further narrated that when the winter was approaching, Patrick decided to purchase a bigger car but could not keep the car he had sent because of insurance and other tags.

“When they were separating, Patrick told her to take two cars and all the things,” said Sen. Teahjay.

“He made the decision to send the vehicle to me. I cleared the vehicle from the Freeport of Monrovia and [have] since been using it because it was sent as his property,” Teahjay narrated further.

He said, on the contrary, Patricia came into the country recently claiming that the car Patrick had sent allegedly belonged to her.

According to Teahjay, Ms. Flomo complained to his colleague Senator Prince Y. Johnson, alleging that he (Sen. Teahjay) had her car.

Teahjay also said Patricia made another representation to Cllr. Arthur Johnson to secure his legal services to take him to court, something the Senator said he was surprised about because the issue of the vehicle had never been a point of discussion between him and Patricia.

“I called my younger brother in the US before Cllr. Johnson and Patricia Flomo to point out who owns the vehicle. When the call was placed to Patrick, he said the car does not belong to Patricia,” said Teahjay.

He said it was later, he was surprised when Patricia went to the Magisterial Court in Monrovia and filled a charge that he has a car for her.

Upon receiving a citation from the court, Teahjay said he was not inclined to honor the citation in line with Article 42 of the Liberian Constitution.

Seeing it as an error, Teahjay said Magistrate Jomah Jallah instructed his clerk to withdraw the citation, saying it was sent to the Senator inadvertently.

He expounded that Patricia then proceeded to Judge Koiboi K. Nuta of Criminal Court “B,” to cite him in Chamber.

Senator Teahjay said he informed Judge Nuta that he was in session and could not sit in conference.

He said a similar letter was written to Judge Nuta under the signature of his Chief of Office Staff, explaining that he is not inclined to sit for a conference and further alerted Judge Nuta to take keen interest not to repeat said citation during the session period because he could be held in contempt by the Senate.

He said because of Judge Nuta’s refusal to withdraw the citation, he is consulting with his lawyer to reach out to him to invoke his constitutional immunity.

The Senator said judges are under obligation to be people who will interpret the law. Just as the Constitution protects judges, that you cannot hold them responsible for the judgment they handle on cases, Teahjay said the same Constitution tells the judges to not cite a lawmaker who is in session.

Recently, the Liberian female residing in the United States of America wrote a formal complaint before Criminal Court “B” against Sinoe County Senator Milton Teahjay, accusing him of deceitfully obtaining her motor vehicle and refusing to turn it over to her.

Based on the complaint filed by Madam Patricia Flomo, Criminal Court “B” Resident Judge Koiboi K. Nuta cited Mr. Teahjay and the complainant, Patricia Flomo, to appear in court Wednesday, 10 November 2021 in the Judge’s Chamber.

However, the Sinoe Senator did not show up for the meeting at the court, and instead, wrote a communication threatening Judge Nuta with removal from his post.

In the complaint, Madam Flomo, who is visiting Liberia, said she was constrained to take legal action due to Senator Teahjay’s action against her.

She narrated that Teahjay had promised to use his legislative immunity to clear her vehicle from the Freeport of Monrovia after she was introduced to him by the lawmaker’s brother, Patrick Teahjay who also is a resident of the United States of America.

Madam Patricia Flomo said Senator Teahjay cleared her vehicle in early March this year. She said she instructed that the vehicle be turned over to her late father, but the Senator allegedly refused to do so. She alleged that Senator Teahjay had insisted that the car belonged to him.

Further, Madam Flomo said when Senator Teahjay’s lawyer, Arthur Johnson was contacted, he arranged a conference wherein she produced all legitimate documents regarding her ownership of the car.

“It will shock you to know that the Senator falsified all the car documents and had it registered in his name,” she alleged.

In his response to the court’s citation, Teahjay said he acknowledged the citation from the Office of the Judge of Criminal Court “B”.

The Communication which is under the signature of Teahjay’s Chief of Office Staff informed Judge Nuta that the Legislature is in session and that the citation is in clear contravention of the Senator’s immunity as enshrined in Article 42 of the Constitution of Liberia.

“The Senator would also have me inform you for onward information to Judge Nuta that considering the citation, it interfered with and or obstructed the Senator’s Legislative duties and responsibilities,” Teahjay’s office said.

It warned that “Judge Natu could be cited for contempt of the Liberian Senate and removed from office at its next session should he repeat this violation by citing a Senator Sitting in Legislative Session as is provided for by Section 31 of the Constitution. https://thenewdawnliberia.com/teahjay-dragged-to-court-for-vehicle/