-As C/J Gbeisay Withdraws Judge Morgan
Monrovia, January 19, 2026: Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay has withdrawn the controversial US$3.3 million Ducor Petroleum case from Judge Eva Mappy Morgan of the Commercial Court at the Temple of Justice.
The case, which originated in 2013, centers on a petition for accounting dispute between Mr. Amos P. K. Brosius, General Manager of Ducor Petroleum, and the Monrovia Oil Trading Company (MOTC).
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MOTC is jointly owned by Belgian investors Kris Leemans and Charles Carron. Over the years, the case has been marked by persistent delays and considerable controversy.
Court officials say the decision by Chief Justice Gbeisay was made "in the interest of justice" to protect the reputation and integrity of the judiciary. This followed the receipt of several oral and written complaints against Judge Morgan.
In a letter dated December 1, 2025, Chief Justice Gbeisay informed Judge Morgan that he has reassigned and designated Judge James E. Jones of the Debt Court to preside over and resolve the matter as a Special Commercial Court Judge.
Justice Gbeisay's communication to Judge Jones mandated that he immediately take charge of the case and act to dispose of it promptly.
As the "Administrative head and Spokesperson" of the judiciary, the Chief Justice possesses the authority to assign and reassign judges, a power derived from Judicial Canon Two and exercised in coordination with Associate Justices, although the final decision rests with the Chief Justice.
The Supreme Court has consistently upheld the Chief Justice's authority regarding case allocation, declaring it "untrammeled and immune from judicial scrutiny." This means that other courts typically do not interfere with the Chief Justice's decisions on how cases are assigned.
The conflict centers on an agreement where the Ducor Petroleum bank account was frozen and placed under the Commercial Court's control pending an audit.
The controversy intensified when Judge Eva Mappy Morgan ordered the account unfrozen without the consent of all parties involved. This action allegedly led to the withdrawal of over US$3 million by MOTC from the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI).
Following these developments, the Judiciary Inquiry Commission (JIC), the Supreme Court's disciplinary body for judges, found Judge Morgan liable for an ethical breach and recommended a one-year suspension.
However, in October 2022, the Supreme Court, led by then-Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh, overturned the JIC's decision and cleared Judge Morgan of all charges.
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Prior to Justice Gbeisay's intervention, Mr. Brosius had reached out to former Chief Justices Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh and Francis Korkpor, expressing that his rights were violated when his financial investments in Ducor Petroleum and all monies in his possession were placed under the Commercial Court's control.
Brosius has consistently demanded that the Judicial Branch of the Government take responsibility and ensure restitution of the disputed funds, which remains a central issue in the case.
Upon learning of the recent developments, Mr. Brosius publicly commended Chief Justice Gbeisay for his pursuit of justice, a resolution he has sought for over 13 years.
