The Supreme Court has lifted the stay order on the closure of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) headquarters, allowing the enforcement of a judgment regarding a debt of over US$364,000 owed to a Swedish company, ELTEL Network Liberia.
Presiding Chamber Justice Jamesetta H. Wolokollie lifted the stay order on January 20, 2026, which had originally been imposed on January 6, 2026, allowing the Debt Court for Montserrado County to proceed with the closure.
In her instruction to Judge James Jones, Wolokollie wrote "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 lifted,"
With the mandate that was read on yesterday, in the courtroom of the Debt Court, the court can now proceed with the closure, if LEC were to refuse to settle the judgment amount of US$364,000 owed to ELTEL Network by today, Friday, January 23.
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Surprisingly, Solicitor General Cllr. Augustine C. Fayiah, represented the LEC, during yesterday's reading of Wolokollie's mandate.
The closure stems from a refusal by the LEC to pay a judgment amount of US$364,929.40 to ELTEL Network for electrical materials supplied.
The Debt Court had initially ordered the seizure and sale of LEC assets, and if necessary, the arrest of the Managing Director, Mohamed Sheriff, to satisfy the debt.
The court's decision followed a four-month arbitration with the LEC and ELTEL Network, reviewing invoices, purchase requests and delivery notes among others.
The arbitration panel appointed by the Court, on September 30, released its findings, declaring the LEC liable in the amount of over US$364,929.40, as unpaid debt for electrical materials supplied by a Swedish Company, ELTEL Network.
The panel was established to assist the court to reconcile the 2016 agreement between ELTEL Network and LEC for the Swedish Company, to supply the electricity company with Low Voltage (LV) materials.
Despite receiving the materials, LEC has repeatedly challenged its indebtedness to ELTEL Network.
They have previously argued that the debt was based on an old 2011 contract and that the current management was not involved in the transaction, thereby seeking the writ of prohibition, to prevent the corporation from honoring the court's judgment.
It was based on those claims and counterclaim that led to ELTEL Network, Attorney-In- Fact, Hans Armstrong, a British national, to file a debt action before the Debt Court.
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Initially, Hans Armstrong sought US$434,459, as unpaid debt, but, after careful consideration, the panel reached the agreement of US$364,929.40.
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.
The company, since 2019-2020, had repeatedly complained about the management of LEC indebtedness, but, LEC has deliberately refused to settle the outstanding balance of US$434,459 despite several emails and official letters written to them.
Furthermore, on January 1, 2020, ELTEL Network wrote to then LEC Chief Executive Officer, Monie Captan, reminding him of the promises he made to settle the outstanding balance. Unfortunately, Captan refused and failed to respond to the letter, leaving them with no option but to seek legal redress with the Debt Court.
They claim that between 2019-2020, they offered to the LEC management a settlement agreement based on a direct payment of US$360,000, meaning if they were to accept the offer, ELTEL Network was going to waive US$74,452, which LEC failed to honor.
Despite numerous emails and official letters written to then Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LEC, Monie Captan, he has refused to settle the debt, claims ELTEL Network's Chief Executive Officer.
