Published: July 17, 2026
MONROVIA — Every member of the National Elections Commission’s Board of Commissioners, along with its executive director and comptroller, faces arrest in two weeks unless the commission settles a judgment debt owed to M-TOSH Print Media Inc., the Commercial Court of Liberia ruled Tuesday.
Associate Judge Chan-Chan A. Paegar handed down the ruling July 14 during the court’s July Term in Montserrado County, granting the NEC a final grace period in an action of debt that had advanced to contempt proceedings over the commission’s failure to satisfy the judgment.
According to court minutes in the possession of The Liberian Investigator, M-TOSH Print Media Inc., represented by Varney Fahnbulleh, brought the action against the NEC through its Board of Commissioners. Cllr. A. Teage Jalloh represented the commission at the hearing, with Attorney Joseph A. Yarsiah also appearing on its behalf.
The NEC’s lawyers acknowledged the contempt proceedings and pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, telling Judge Paegar that the commission was processing the paperwork required to facilitate payment. They requested two additional weeks to complete the process, assuring the court that the request was made in good faith and not intended to obstruct or delay the administration of justice.
Paegar granted the request but made clear the extension, which runs from July 14, is the commission’s final opportunity to comply. If the NEC fails to satisfy the debt when the period expires, the judge ruled, the court will issue writs of arrest against all members of the Board of Commissioners as well as the commission’s executive director and comptroller.
Although the court found sufficient grounds to continue the contempt proceedings, it temporarily purged the contempt against the NEC leadership based on the assurances given through its attorneys, while maintaining its authority to revive enforcement measures should the commission default.
Contacted for comment, NEC Chairman Jonathan K. Weedor acknowledged that the commission owes M-TOSH, a Liberian vendor, and said it has asked the Finance Ministry to proceed with payment.
“We don’t have money for the payment of debts in the budget now in effect but we have communicated with the Finance Ministry approving the settling of the debt. It’s a government’s debt and I don’t see it anything wrong for the Ministry to step in,” Weedor said.
He said the debt could have been cleared when the commission held an excess of US$8 million.
“They took the entire money and turned it over to the government. The Ministry of Finance asked the Commission to keep US$3 million and that is the money that was used to renovate the buildings, build new parking lots, and paved the yard. The remaining amount is being used for operation,” he said.
For Fahnbulleh, patience has become costly.
“This is more than two to three years thing. The former NEC chairman deliberately refused to honor all court orders to pay us. We hope the new leadership does the needful. We are not begging for favor. It is business and because we were wrongfully treated over the years, we have been on the losing side-making business difficult. We are partners and as Liberian owned business, we can only hope for our government offices to understand that we too need to stand in order to support the economy,” Fahnbulleh said.
“If business is going on well, we will always maintain our fellow Liberians in our employment and that would keep food on their respective tables,” he added.
The court minutes do not specify the amount of the judgment or the nature of the contractual dispute that gave rise to the litigation, but the proceedings indicate the matter has reached the enforcement stage. Under Liberian law, contempt proceedings may be initiated when a party fails to comply with a lawful court order, including judgments requiring payment.
The proceedings were certified by Commercial Court Reporter Jeremiah U. Brown under the seal of the Commercial Court on July 14, 2026.
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