Monrovia-A Liberian author and international journalist, Cllr. P. Alphonsus Zeon, has filed a civil lawsuit against United Parcel Service (UPS) Liberia, demanding over US$600,000 in damages for the alleged loss of a shipment containing promotional copies of his newly published book.
By Willie N. Tokpah
The lawsuit, filed before the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court at the Temple of Justice, accuses the global logistics company of gross negligence, carelessness, and failure to deliver a package essential to a planned regional book launch in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Cllr. Zeon, a former senior producer with the BBC World Service Trust, recently authored a book titled: “Inadequate Justice, Sierra Leone vs. Charles Ghankay Taylor,” which chronicles his coverage of the war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor before the Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague.
The groundbreaking book, published by the Pittsburgh-based Dorrance Publishing, this powerful work takes readers inside the evidence and counter-evidence of the historic war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor.
Drawing on eye-witness accounts, Cllr. Zeon explores the local and international pressures that led to Taylor’s resignation, arrest, and trial in The Hague.
With key Liberian witnesses playing central roles, the book also reflects on Liberia’s own unresolved legacy of wartime impunity.
According to the complaint, Dorrance Publishing Company, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, shipped 51 promotional author copies of the book to Cllr. Zeon in Monrovia via UPS in May 2025.
Tracking records (No. 1Z111W170414649138) confirm the shipment arrived in Monrovia on May 29, 2025.
However, Cllr. Zeon claims that neither he nor the sender was contacted by UPS regarding the delivery, and no attempt was made to complete the handover.
Despite multiple follow-ups over a period of more than three months, Cllr. Zeon alleges that the company failed to respond or provide any explanation.
After exhausting informal channels, Cllr. Zeon issued a formal demand letter to UPS Liberia on September 17, seeking immediate delivery of the books or compensation for the loss.
The suit claims that UPS Liberia ignored the demand and continued to disregard his efforts to resolve the matter.
Cllr. Zeon is now seeking US$600,000 in general damages for emotional distress, reputational harm, and psychological pain, along with US$918 to cover the cost of the 51 missing books, valued at US$18 per copy.
His legal counsel, Justice Advocates Law Group, cited the Liberian Supreme Court case Nigerian National Shipping Line Ltd. v. Tip-Top Tools, Inc., which affirms the right of a consignee to sue a carrier for loss or failure to deliver goods.
The case has been assigned to His Honor J. Boima Kontor, presiding judge of the Civil Law Court’s September Term
The court has issued a citation ordering UPS Liberia and its named officers to appear no later than October 5, 2025, or risk a default judgment in favor of the plaintiff.
Supporting documents submitted to the court include, the UPS tracking and delivery report, email correspondence between the author and publisher, and a copy of the formal demand letter sent to UPS Liberia.
As of press time, UPS Liberia has not issued a public response to the lawsuit.
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