Monrovia — The Supreme Court has affirmed the ruling of the Debt Court for Montserrado County, authorizing the enforcement of the closure of the headquarters of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), due to the corporation's refusal to honor its judgment amount of over US$364,000 owed to ELTEL Network Liberia, a Swedish Company.
The high court decision followed the lifting of the stay order issued by Chambers Justice, Associate Justice Jamesetta H. Wolokollie, on January 6, 2026, on the enforcement of the lower court's judgment.
" You are hereby mandated to resume jurisdiction and proceed in keeping with law, as the Justice has declined to issue the writ prayed for. The stay order of January 6, 2026, is hereby ordered lifted, " Justice Wolokollie's letter dated January 20, 2026, addressed to Judge James E. Jones noted.
The Debt Court's decision to close the LEC's headquarters resulted from an arbitration panel's findings, declaring the Corporation liable for US$364,929.40, as unpaid debt for electrical materials supplied by ELTEL Network.
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The panel was established to assist the court in reconciling the 2016 agreement between ELTEL Network and LEC for the Swedish Company, to supply the electricity company with low-voltage (LV) materials.
But the LEC challenged the court's decision to affirm the panel's report, arguing that it is not indebted to ELTEL Network Liberia. And, later, filed a writ of Prohibition before Justice Wolokollie, which was denied.
It was based on these claims and counterclaims that led to ELTEL Network, Attorney-In- Fact, Hans Armstrong, a British national, to file a debt action before the Debt Court.
The panel's decision followed a four-month arbitration with the LEC and ELTEL Network, reviewing invoices, purchase requests, and delivery notes, among others.
Initially, Hans Armstrong sought US$434,459 as unpaid debt, but, after careful consideration, the panel reached an agreement of US$309,929.40.
The money in question resulted from a 2016 agreement between ELTEL Network and LEC for the Swedish Company to supply the electricity company with low-voltage (LV) materials, which they did.
LV applications are diverse and include control rooms, distribution systems, lighting, communication systems, and security systems. LV wiring is often used in these applications, as it is designed for smaller currents and offers increased safety compared to regular wiring.
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The company, from 2019-2020, had repeatedly complained about the management of LEC's indebtedness. Still, LEC has deliberately refused to settle the outstanding balance of US$434,459 despite several emails and official letters written to them.
