A recent communication among local authorities of Bomi County regarding the alleged unauthorized and surreptitious sale of machines and equipment, which ownership granted to businessman Hans Armstrong by a Criminal Court ‘C’ ruling in June 2023, has raised concerns about the disregard for legal authorities in the country.
The office of Bomi County Superintendent, Miatta Dorley, had written to scrap companies informing them of the sale of the equipment, a move that violates a stay order that was placed on the matter.
Before the May 16, leaked communication, the Presiding Chamber Justice at the Supreme Court, Ceaineh Clinton-Johnson, on May 15,2025 imposed a stay order on sale of the equipment and machines, located in Sackie Town, Sinjie Township, pending the outcome of her conference scheduled for Wednesday, June 4.
While Justice Clinton-Johnson’s stay order is still pending undetermined, the letter surfaced from the office of the county’s superintendent, Miatta Dorley.
Alphonso M. Sherman, who is the Administrative Officer in the superintendent’s office that signed the communication.
Sherman has already distributed the letter to several scrap companies, to include the Universal Scrap Dealers Company.
The letter reads, “I’m writing to inform you that scrap materials located in Sackie Town are currently available for sale to all interested buyers.”
Sherman’s letter continues, “This presents a unique opportunity for your company to acquire available resources at your disposal.”
According to the communication, Universal Scrap Dealers Company, are encouraged to consider this offer because it will be beneficiary for their operations.
“We encourage Universal Scrap Dealers Company to consider this offer as it would be beneficial for your operations and sustainability efforts,” it noted.
In conclusion, the letter says, “If you are interested in this opportunity, please feel free to reach out to the office of the superintendent for further details or to arrange a site visit.” When Dorley was contacted by the Daily Observer, through a WhatsApp message, whether she has any knowledge about her administrative officer’s letter, ” she responded in the positive.
The stay order that is said to have been undermined by the county’s leadership resulted from a petition for prohibition filed on May 9, by Armstrong against Judge Ciapha Carey, Resident Circuit Judge for the 11th Judicial Circuit in Bomi County and citizens of Sackie Town, who he claims set themselves up to frustrate the execution of Judge Dixon’s final Judgement.
For Judge Carey, the petition alleges that he placed a stay order on the enforcement of Judge Dixon’s judgement, purportedly based on a complaint filed before the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of Bomi County by the people of Sackie Town and information given the court by the office of the superintendent.
To make matters worse, Judge Carey ought to be aware that he lacks jurisdiction to interfere with the judgment of Judge Dixon.
This is because the case was transferred from Bomi Count to the First Judicial Circuit,Criminal Court ‘C’ for Montserrado County, of which the 11th Judicial Circuit has lost jurisdiction.
Besides,there is nowhere in the petition that the county’s authorities are involved with the matter, which gives rise to the decision to ignore the Supreme Court’s orders.
The only time the county leadership got involved with the matter, it was when Armstrong first learnt that the superintendent’s office had imposed its own stay order on the enforcement of Dixon’s judgement.
Immediately, the Armstrong’s legal team, filed a Bill of Information before Judge Dixon., Subsequently, Judge Dixon on April 7, wrote Superintendent Miatta Dorley, requesting her to lift the stay order placed on the machines and equipment owned by Hans Armstrong, and to assist the court’s officers to take possession of said machines and equipment.
Part of Dixon’s order is for the county authorities to transport them to Monrovia under the supervision and at the expense of Armstrong, which did not happen up to present.
In a clarification letter dated April 9, the superintendent acknowledged receipt of the letter, regarding the request to lift the stay order on the machinery located in Sackie Town.
It reads, “We would like to clarify that the stay order in question was issued by His Honor Cllr. T. Ciapha Carey, Resident Circuit Judge, 11th Judicial Circuit Court, presiding by assignment, and not by the superintendent office.
Therefore, and in view of the foregoing any actions regarding the lifting of the stay order should be directed to the appropriate Judicial authority.”
This matter arose after lawyers representing Armstrong, filed a writ of prohibition against Judge Carey and the citizens of Sackie Town, Sinjie Township, leading to a temporary halt in the enforcement of Dixon’s judgement.
Armstrong had claimed that he bought the equipment and machines from Euro Liberia Logging Company.
Prior to the sale of the equipment and machines to him, Italgems, a company incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Liberia, used the said machine and equipment to carry mining activities in Sackie Town, based on an arrangement between Italgerms and Euro Liberia logging company.
However, the people of Sackie Town claim that Italgems did not honor all of its corporate responsibilities to the township and therefore, the people of the township sought to lay claim to the machines and equipment, though it was established that the machines and equipment did not and do not belong to Italgems.
Following the sale of the equipment and machines to Armstrong, the then Superintendent of Bomi County, Mr. Adama J. Robinson, sold some of the equipment and machines to Stanley Walker, Resident/Chief Executive Officer of Fountain Liberia Inc.
While the complaint against the superintendent was pending, one Mr. Reginald Holder sold some equipment and machines to Mr. Jehu Richardson. Armstrong allegedly complained to the County Attorney of Bomi County, and following an investigation, Holder and Richardson were duly indicted and arraigned before the 11th Judicial Circuit Court for Bomi County for prosecution.
Following the arraignment of the defendants, the county attorney prayed for a change of venue and the court granted the same. The case was transferred to the first Judicial Circuit Court ‘C ‘ for Montserrado County.
During the pendency of the case before the Criminal Court ‘C’ the people of Sackie Town, Sinjie Township, filed Bill of information, seeking to intervene in the case and the intervention was denied by Judge Dixon.
While the judgement is pending execution, Judge Carey issued a stay order, purportedly based on a complaint filed before the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of Bomi County by the people of Sackie Town and information given the court by the office of the Superintendent for Bomi County.
