The long-running and controversial 53.34-carat diamond case has taken a new turn following the citation of several former officials of the Ministry of Mines and Energy by the Ministry of Justice through the Office of the Solicitor General, Cllr. Augustine C. Fayiah.
The action follows a January 9, 2026 ruling of the Civil Law Court for Montserrado County, which ordered the immediate enforcement of a mandate earlier issued by the Supreme Court of Liberia in the diamond dispute—an issue that continues to raise serious questions about accountability within Liberia’s mining governance framework.
The case involves Abraham Kamara, holder of a “C” Mining License (Claim #12F/Survey), and was brought before the court through a Petition for Judicial Review seeking enforcement of the Supreme Court’s mandate.
Those named in the petition include former Minister of Mines and Energy, Gelser E. Murray; Emmanuel T.T. Swen, former Assistant Minister; Mustapha Tounkara, President of the Diamond Dealers Association; Korvah Baysah, Chief Diamond Appraiser; and Ishaka Konneh.
In its January ruling, the presiding judge ordered the Ministry of Justice and its designees to immediately enforce the Supreme Court’s mandate against the defendants named in an October 7 communication, with the sole exception of Cllr. Frank Musah Dean.
In compliance with the court’s directive, the Ministry of Justice, through the Solicitor General, cited the five defendants to a conference scheduled for January 14, 2026, at the Ministry of Justice. However, sources disclosed that only Korvah Baysah appeared at the conference, while the others—including Emmanuel T.T. Swen and former Minister Gersler Murray—failed to attend and are reportedly at large.
The court’s ruling reinforces the authority of the Supreme Court and underscores the principle that no former or current public official is above the law, particularly in matters involving the management and control of the country’s mineral resources.
The conference has placed renewed judicial scrutiny on the actions of the former Mines and Energy Minister and his co-defendants, as the government intensifies efforts to comply with the mandate of Liberia’s highest court.
According to the citation issued by the Ministry of Justice, the communication stated: “I present my compliments and write to formally notify you that, as referenced in the attached communication, you are cited to attend a conference regarding the matter involving the Ministry of Mines and Energy versus T. David Sluward.”
