Contempt proceedings have been initiated at the Debt Court of Montserrado County against the management of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. The charge came over an alleged non-compliance with a final judgment of US$415,327.08 in favor of ELTEL Network Liberia.
The proceedings were triggered by a Bill of Information filed by ELTEL, asking the court to compel enforcement of its February 4, 2026, payment order.
According to court records, on July 7, the Debt Court issued show-cause summonses ordering LEC Managing Director, Mohammed M. Sheriff, and other senior LEC executives to appear before the court to explain why the judgment remains unsatisfied.
In its latest filing argued last week, ELTEL is also asking the court to extend the show-cause action to include Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, on grounds that the Ministry is the fiscal agent for payment of judgments against state-owned enterprises.
The court has not yet made any finding of contempt against Ngafuan, or Sheriff.
To show cause summons, is not a conviction, but an order to appear and explain.
Why ELTEL Filed For Contempt?
According to ELTEL’s petition, LEC acknowledged liability for the debt on February 3, and on February 4, 2026, the court entered judgment for US$415,327.08. The court said, the sum comprises an arbitral award of US$364,322.00 plus statutory interest, attorney’s fees and court costs. ELTEL alleges the amount has not been paid more than five months following the judgement. Lawyers for ELTEL claimed further that the matter was referred to the Executive Mansion, and that on July 3, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai directed the Ministry of Finance to intervene to satisfy the judgment. That alleged directive has not been independently verified by this newspaper, and no public response from the Ministry on that specific allegation is on the court record as of press time late last night. On that basis, ELTEL is praying the court to find willful disobedience, and to impose contempt sanctions. The Debt Court is expected to decide whether to grant a final enforcement ultimatum, such as a 72-hour order for the US$415,327.08 to be transferred to the court’s escrow account, or set a full contempt hearing date where Ngafuan, and Sheriff would be required to appear personally, or through their lawyers to show cause. Both the officials remain entitled to the presumption of compliance until the court rules otherwise, and to present their defense.
The case file shows the underlying dispute stems from a 2016 contract for low-voltage materials that ELTEL alleges it supplied to LEC. The original suit was filed in June, 2024, through Attorney-in-Fact Hans Armstrong.
