Liberia: Supreme Court Summons Judge, Sheriff, and Mining License Holder Over Dean’s Bill of Information

Monrovia – The Supreme Court has issued a Bill of Information summoning His Honor J. Boima Kontoe, Assigned Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court, the court’s Sheriff and multiple individuals linked to a Class “C” Mining License in Gbarpolu County in a development that signals escalating judicial scrutiny over mining disputes in Liberia.

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By Willie N. Tokpah

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The move follows a failed attempt by Cllr. Frank Musah Dean Jr., former Minister of Justice, who had earlier filed a Writ of Prohibition seeking to halt actions taken by Judge Kontoe in connection with a contentious mining claim in Smith Town, Gbarma Statutory District.

 That petition was denied by Justice-In- Chambers, Her Honor Jamesetta H. Wolokollie, reportedly due to procedural issues and failure to meet the legal threshold for prohibition

Undeterred, Cllr. Dean has returned to the Supreme Court, this time through a Bill of Information, contending that there has been a violation of legal procedures and usurpation of jurisdiction by the Civil Law Court.

 The Full Bench of the High Court has now taken possession of the matter and has ordered the named respondents to appear before it on Monday, October 13, at 10:00 a.m.

 The Respondents include, Judge J. Boima Kontoe, 6th Judicial Circuit, Sheriff, Civil Law Court, Montserrado County, T. David Sluward and Abraham Kamara, alleged holders of a Class “C” Mining License for Claim #12F/Survey in Smith Town, Gbarma as well as

Mohammed Kamara, also known as “JR”, of Smith Town, Gbarma District.

 The Supreme Court has instructed its Marshal, Brig./Gen. Amos B. Kesseh Dickson, Sr., to serve the writ and ensure that official returns are filed by all respondents on or before October 13.

Land, Law and the Battle for Mineral Rights

 At the center of the case is a Class “C” Artisanal Mining License issued for Claim #12F in Smith Town, an area in Gbarpolu County known for its gold-rich soil and frequently contested claims.

Reports suggest that actions taken by the Civil Law Court may have enabled or facilitated mining access in favor of individuals allegedly without proper legal authority, prompting intervention by the former Attorney General.

 The Bill of Information now filed seeks to alert the Supreme Court to what the Informant believes are deliberate acts by a lower court and private parties that contravene the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction and the law governing mineral rights.

The use of a Bill of Information, rather than another writ, signals that the matter may now be positioned as a constitutional issue or one involving interference with the Supreme Court’s authority.

 According to legal analysts, the success of the Bill would not only set aside any enforcement action by the lower court. Still, it could trigger a judicial review of how mining disputes are adjudicated in Liberia’s post-war legal order.

 The case will now be heard by the Full Bench of the Supreme Court.

Should the Supreme Court grant the relief sought in the Bill of Information, it could have a chilling effect on judicial officers and private individuals engaged in the controversial use or allocation of natural resource claims without clear legal standing.

This case comes at a time when Liberia continues to grapple with the governance of its lucrative but loosely regulated artisanal mining sector.

As land conflicts and overlapping mining permits continue to plague rural counties like Gbarpolu, Bomi and Nimba, the Supreme Court’s ruling may become a landmark judgment in restoring procedural discipline and legal order in mining disputes.

 Cllr. Dean, a long-standing legal figure and former Justice Minister under the Weah Administration, is believed to be pursuing the matter not just as counsel but potentially in furtherance of broader legal and constitutional concerns related to judicial overreach and executive powers in resource management.