-Lawyers Describe FPA’s Report on Cllr. F. JuahLawson

MONROVIA – A coalition of prominent Liberian lawyers has issued a rebuttal against a recent news report they describe as “entirely false, unfounded, and deeply regrettable,” which accused lead counsel Cllr. F. Juah Lawson of being “delinquent and lazy” in enforcing a court judgment against the John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFK).
The statement, released by The Renaissance Law Group, Inc., and signed in association with Cllr. Justice M. Wilkins Wright, Cllr. Joseph P. Gibson of Wright & Associates, and Cllr. Ebenizar Z. Gibson, comes in response to a Frontpage Africa Online publication on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. The legal team asserts that the report grossly misrepresents their “exceptional effort” in the case of Madam Karen Sehkehporhversus The John F. Kennedy Medical Center.
Countering the allegations of obstruction, the legal counsel detailed a history of financial and professional sacrifice. They revealed that from the case’s inception through to its conclusion at the Supreme Court of Liberia, the team of lawyers bore all legal expenses “without hesitation or reservation” and at “considerable personal and financial cost” to ensure justice was accessible for their client.
“Our commitment to Madam Sehkehporh’s cause has been unwavering and continues to this day,” the statement read, positioning their actions as a pro bono struggle rather than a neglected duty. At the heart of the rebuttal is a critical legal distinction: the difference between winning a judgment and enforcing it. The lawyers clarified that they, as private attorneys, “do not possess statutory enforcement powers,” which legally rest with state authorities like the Sheriff of the court and the Ministry of Justice.
“Notwithstanding this limitation,” the statement continued, the legal team has been “fully engaged with the courts to secure assignments for the enforcement of the judgment and has maintained active communication with both the John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFK) and the Ministry of Justice regarding compliance.”
The statement further emphasized that Madam Sehkehporh has been “physically present at these engagements” and is fully aware of the ongoing processes. The release sheds light on the specific bureaucratic pathway causing the delay. According to the lawyers, JFK Medical Center has advised that the judgment has been transmitted to the Ministry of Justice for onward submission to the President of the Republic of Liberia.
Only after presidential approval will the matter be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning for payment under “Domestic Debts.”
“This process has been clearly and repeatedly explained to Madam Karen Sehkehporh, both by her legal counsel and by the Honourable Judge presiding over the matter,” the lawyers noted, suggesting the client’s frustrations may be misplaced given the procedural realities.
However, the legal team also pointed to a potential contradiction, citing the John F. Kennedy Medical Center Act of 2013, which reconstituted the Center as an autonomous agency that “may sue and be sued, plead or be impleaded, in its own name.” This implies that JFK, as an independent entity, may have the authority to settle the judgment without waiting for the full government payment cycle, an avenue the lawyers say they are “nonetheless continue to pursue.”
While expressing deep empathy for their client’s “frustration and distress,” the legal consortium condemned the media narrative as “inaccurate, misleading, and injurious.” “It seeks to malign the integrity of counsels who have worked diligently and selflessly to advance the cause of justice in this matter,” the statement asserted.
Concluding on a philosophical note, the lawyers argued that “justice cannot thrive on distortion. It is sustained by collaboration, sacrifice, and adherence to truth.” They reaffirmed their commitment to these principles and extended appreciation to those who have continued to express confidence in them amidst the “unfounded allegations.”