–P. Alphonsus Zeon alleges negligence, seeks damages after 51 copies of his landmark book were delayed for over three months, disrupting its Liberian launch
MONROVIA– Veteran Liberian journalist and author P. Alphonsus Zeon has filed a high-profile lawsuit against United Parcel Service (UPS) Liberia, alleging negligence in the handling of a critical shipment of books tied to the war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Ghankay Taylor.
The civil case, now before His Honour J. Boima Kontoe, Assigned Circuit Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Montserrado County, is an Action of Damages for Wrong. Zeon claims UPS Liberia failed to deliver 51 copies of his book, “Inadequate Justice: Sierra Leone vs. Charles Ghankay Taylor.”
According to court documents, Zeon had partnered with Pittsburgh-based publisher Dorrance Publishing to print and distribute copies of the work, which draws on his experience as a Senior Producer for the BBC World Service Trust covering Taylor’s landmark trial before the Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague.
Zeon alleges that on May 29, 2025, UPS Liberia received a package containing the 51 author’s copies, confirmed through tracking number 1Z111W170414649138. Despite being logged into UPS’s system, the books were neither delivered nor was Zeon notified for over three months.
The lawsuit further claims that UPS made no meaningful attempt to contact either Zeon in Liberia or the U.S.-based publisher, despite having full sender and recipient information. Repeated efforts by Zeon to retrieve the shipment allegedly resulted in “the run-around” and silence from UPS staff.
“Respondent made no reasonable efforts… from May 29 up to September,” the court filing states, accusing UPS Liberia of “deliberate inaction and negligence,” which allegedly caused reputational harm and disrupted the book’s promotion campaign ahead of its Liberian launch.
Zeon has submitted emails and tracking confirmations to support his claims and is seeking judicial relief and damages. Observers say the case could set an important precedent for how multinational logistics companies are held accountable under Liberian law.
