Court Orders Elections Commission Closure In Debt Case

Monrovia, Liberia: The Commercial Court of Liberia has ordered the immediate closure of the National Elections Commission's (NEC) Headquarters in Monrovia over unpaid debt to a printing press.

The order released by Chief Judge Eva Mappy Morgan on Wednesday instructs the Acting Sheriff of the Commercial Court to seal all entrances to the NEC's premises and remove available occupants.

The case involves M-Tosh Prints Media Incorporated as Plaintiff represented by a senior manager Varney A. Fahnbulleh, against the NEC, as Defendant, represented by then Executive Chairperson, Davidetta Brown Lansannah, and the Board of Commissioners.

A copy of the court's document in the possession of K-News does not specify the amount of the debt or state the underlying financial transaction.

Meanwhile, multiple reports suggest the debt to be in the tone of approximately US$171,105 (U.S. One Hundred Seventy-one Thousand One Hundred Five Dollars) for printing and related services.

Research shows that the debt dispute dates back to 2018, when the National Elections Commission reportedly contracted M-Tosh Print Incorporated for about US$589,060.00 to supply election materials for specific elections.

According to record, the fixed-price contract included approximately US$289,060.00 for printing/goods and US$300,000.00 for chartered air transport.

Reports indicate that M-Tosh then demanded an extra of about US$150,000.00 for the flight before delivery, leading to a huge unpaid balance (Approximately: US$171,105.00) and a lawsuit after the funds were reported to have never disbursed.

The Commercial Court order states: "By the order of Her Honor, Eva Mappy Morgan, Chief Judge of the Commercial Court, you are hereby ordered to have the National Elections Commission (NEC) closed with immediate effect.

Therefore, you are also instructed to have all doors and entrances of the above-named premises sealed and all inhabitants out.

The sheriff is further commanded to make his official return endorsed on the back of the original copy of this order to the clerk's officer on the manner and form of its service"

This comes at a time when early preparations are said taking place at the National Elections Commission for the next Presidential and Legislative Elections in Liberia.

Pundits believe a prolonged closure of the commission due to the unpaid debt would hinder ongoing reforms and efforts to keep the commission ready for upcoming elections under a new chairperson.

However, the court's document did not state how long the closure would last and what may be the next the next course of actions if the debt is not settled.