Monrovia – A Liberian businesswoman was on Tuesday, September 18, 2018, dragged to the Sixth Judicial Circuit Civil Law Court in connection with damaging allegations published on Facebook about the United Commodities Incorporated (UCI).
The Sixth Judicial Circuit Civil Law Court, which is currently being presided over by its Resident Circuit Judge, Yussif D. Kaba, is located at the Temple of Justice on Capitol Hill in Monrovia.
Founded in 2008, United Commodities, Inc. (UCI) is an international soft commodity trading company with its headquarters in Monrovia (Liberia). The company has an extensive knowledge of the Liberian and other neighboring markets. UCI’s vision is to establish a company that forges close bonds with main suppliers and offers quality goods at affordable prices. This lays the foundation for our business code of conduct; close collaboration, exchange of information and transparency, risk management, allocation and shared growth. Since its inception, UCI has enjoyed continuous and sustainable growth at all levels and boasts of being a leading importer of key commodities in the country.
The woman, identified as Josephine Karwah, is believed to be a resident of the Smell-no-Taste Community in Margibi County and businesswoman involved with the sale of alcoholic beverages among others is also believed to be the Program Officer of the Ebola Survival Network Liberia.
In its complaint in an action of Damages for Wrong by Attachment, UCI, by and through its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Anwar Ezzidine and General Manager, Mr. Samuel Farley, told the court that Defendant Josephine damaged its (UCI) business reputation by allegedly publishing on Facebook that the complainants are engaged in the sale of plastic rice on the Liberian market, despite warning made to her to desist from publishing said damaging allegation about the rice company.
“She refused and continued to post negative propaganda that the company is engaged in the sale of plastic rice on the Liberian Market for which an action for damages for wrong by attachment will lie against her and other co-defendants in the amount of US$2M,” the complaint said.
The UCI legal team also attached a copy of the Facebook publication made by Defendant Josephine so as to form a cogent and integral part of the complaint.
The UCI lawyers, in the complaint, among other things, prayed the court to hold Defendant Josephine and others who allegedly defame the entity’s reputation liable for the amount of US$2M to be awarded to the company for the injury and damage to the business and rule all costs of the case against the defendants.
The court, based upon the complaint filed against the defendant, issued a writ of arrest after which she was arrested and later forwarded to court.
Defendant Josephine, following her arrest, was later released after being signed for by her lawyer Cllr. Sam Y. Cooper of the Montserrado County Bar Association.