Monrovia, Liberia — The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) faced a major operational setback on Tuesday after officers of the Debt Court sealed the entrance of its headquarters in Monrovia, enforcing a court judgment over an unpaid debt exceeding US$309,000 owed to a foreign supplier.
The action followed a writ of execution issued on January 5, 2026, by Debt Court Judge James Jones, authorizing the seizure of LEC’s assets to satisfy a judgment in favor of Swedish electrical firm ELTEL Network. The amount ordered for payment stands at US$309,929.40, representing the outstanding balance for electrical materials supplied to the state-owned utility.
According to the court order, sheriffs are empowered to confiscate and sell LEC properties should the corporation fail to settle the debt. The writ further warns that LEC Managing Director Mohamed Sheriff and other senior management officials could be arrested and brought before the court if the judgment remains unenforced due to insufficient assets.
The ruling stems from findings of an arbitration panel established by the Debt Court on September 30, 2025, to resolve a prolonged contractual dispute between the two parties. After a four-month review of invoices, delivery notes, and procurement records, the panel determined that LEC was fully liable for the unpaid amount.
Court documents reveal that the dispute originated from a 2016 supply agreement under which ELTEL Network provided Low Voltage electrical materials used in LEC’s distribution networks, control rooms, lighting systems, communications, and security infrastructure. While LEC acknowledged receipt of the materials, it reportedly disputed the total amount claimed by the supplier, which was initially valued at US$434,459.
ELTEL Network, acting through its attorney-in-fact Hans Armstrong, told the court that the company made several attempts to amicably resolve the matter. These efforts included written engagements with LEC management between 2019 and 2020 and a proposed settlement of US$360,000 effectively waiving more than US$74,000 which was never fulfilled.
With negotiations failing, ELTEL Network proceeded with legal action, culminating in the arbitration ruling and the subsequent enforcement measures that disrupted operations at LEC’s headquarters.
As of press time, LEC had not released an official response to the court action or announced plans for settling the outstanding judgment.
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