Monrovia: Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay has withdrawn a US$3.3million corcial case from Judge Eva Mappy Morgan in the “interest of justice” and to “protec reputation” of the judiciary. after receiving “oral and written” complaints, according to an order from the CJ.
The dispute, primarily a petition for accounting case, originated in the Commercial Court in 2013 between Mr. Amos P. K. Brosius, general manager of Ducor Petroleum, and the Monrovia Oil Trading Company (MOTC) jointly owned by two Belgian investors, Kris Leemans and Charles Carron, and has been marked by numerous delays and controversies.
Justice Gbeisay’s letter dated December 1, 2025, and directed to Judge Morgan that, “Please be informed that I have assigned Judge James E. Jones of the Debt Court for the sole purpose of hearing and disposing of the above caption case.”
In a similar communication to Judge Jones, Justice Gbeisay instructed that, “You are hereby mandated to preside over the above captioned case as a Special Commercial Court Judge and dispose of the matter with immediate effect.”
The Chief Justice is considered the “Administrative head and Spokesperson, ” granting him the authority to assign and reassign judges to cases.
This power is derived from Judicial Canon Two and is exercised in consultation with other Associate Justices, although the Chief Justice has the final say.
The Supreme Court has upheld this power, stating that the Chief Justice’s decision on case allocation is “untrammelled and immune from judicial scrutiny”. This means that the courts generally don’t interfere with the Chief Justice’s decisions on case allocation.
Background of the case
The dispute, primarily a petition for an accounting case, originated in the Commercial Court in 2013 and has been marked by numerous delays and controversies.
The case centers on an agreement where the Ducor Petroleum bank account was frozen and placed under the Commercial Court’s control pending an audit.
The primary issue arose when Chief Judge Eva Mappy Morgan, without the consent of all parties, ordered the account unfrozen, leading to the alleged withdrawal of over US$3 million by MOTC, at the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI).
The Judiciary Inquiry Commission (JIC), the Supreme Court’s disciplinary body for judges, found Judge Morgan liable for an ethical breach and recommended a one-year suspension.
However, in a subsequent ruling in October 2022, the Supreme Court, under then-Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh, reversed the JIC’s decision and cleared Judge Morgan of the charges.
Before Justice Gbeisay’s decision, Mr. Brosius wrote to two of the previous Chief Justices, Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh and Francis Korkpor, informing them that, his rights had been violated when his financial investments in Ducor Petroleum and all monies in his possession were brought under the control of the Commercial Court.
Brosius had repeatedly demanded that the Judicial Branch of the Government should take full responsibility and restitute the money, which has been a major point of contention.
Immediately after hearing about the latest developments, Brosius, in an interview with journalists at the Supreme Court lauded Justice Gbeisay for the justice he has been seeking for the last 13 years
Brosius described the action as a clear demonstration of the commitment of Justice Gbeisay, to accountability and the rule of law, irrespective of the status of the persons involved.
According to Brosius, Gbeisay’s action is his renewed determination to ensure that no individual is above the law.
Brosius said the mandate signals a positive shift in the fight against impunity, noting that it would strengthen public confidence in the country’s justice system and serve as a strong deterrent to public officials who might be tempted to abuse their positions.
He also appealed to the judiciary to handle the matter with diligence and without unnecessary delays, stressing that the timely delivery of justice is critical to sustaining the fight against corruption and abuse of office.
