WEST POINT, Monrovia – Sheriffs of the Debt Court on Tuesday shut down the main entrance of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) headquarters in Monrovia after the utility company failed to comply with a court-ordered payment of US$309,929.40 owed to Swedish electrical firm ELTEL Network.
The action followed the issuance of a writ of execution on January 5, 2026, signed by Judge James Jones, authorizing court officers to seize and sell LEC assets to satisfy the outstanding debt. The writ further directs that, should the assets prove insufficient, the managing director of LEC, Mohamed Sheriff, along with other corporate directors, be arrested and brought before the court.
Judge Jones’ ruling came after an arbitration panel appointed by the Debt Court on September 30, 2025, concluded that LEC is liable for the unpaid amount arising from a 2016 contract under which ELTEL Network supplied the corporation with Low Voltage (LV) electrical materials.
The arbitration panel, established to reconcile claims and counterclaims between the parties, reviewed invoices, purchase requests, delivery notes, and other documentation over a four-month period. While ELTEL Network initially claimed US$434,459 in unpaid debt, the panel, after careful consideration, determined the enforceable amount to be US$309,929.40.
The dispute stems from a nine-year contractual disagreement in which ELTEL Network, through its attorney-in-fact Hans Armstrong, a British national, filed an Action of Debt against LEC, alleging nonpayment for materials supplied and received. Despite acknowledging receipt of the LV materials, LEC repeatedly contested the claimed amount.
Low Voltage materials are commonly used in control rooms, power distribution systems, lighting, communications, and security infrastructure. Such systems are designed for smaller electrical currents and offer enhanced operational safety.
According to ELTEL Network, the company made multiple attempts between 2019 and 2020 to resolve the matter amicably. On January 1, 2020, the firm formally wrote to then LEC Chief Executive Officer Monie Captan, reminding him of commitments made to settle the outstanding balance. The letter reportedly went unanswered.
ELTEL Network further disclosed that it proposed a negotiated settlement of US$360,000, which would have resulted in the waiver of US$74,452 of the original claim. The proposal, the company said, was never honored by LEC.
After years of unsuccessful engagement and repeated correspondence, ELTEL Network said it was left with no alternative but to seek legal redress before the Debt Court.
As of press time, LEC management had not issued a public statement addressing the court’s action or outlining steps toward compliance with the ruling.
