By Grace Q. Bryant
Prosecution seems to have reawakened the case dismissed against Nanborlor Singbeh at Court ‘C’ by summoning the management of EcoBank Liberia and others on crimes initially filed by British National Hans Armstrong.
Armstrong, now the plaintiff was indicted on a decision rendered in the same case during the February 2020 Term at the 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Nimba County.
However, the reawakening of the matter comes afoot an earlier ruling by Judge Osuman Feika, taking judicial notice of the facts that State lawyers who had indicted Armstrong were the same, he advised that those proceeding to indict Singbeh, Wisner and others must first conclude the initial indictment drawn against Armstrong in Nimba County.
The law in this jurisdiction instructs in such cases that a cause of action can be dismissed if there is another action pending between the same parties for the same cause in a court within the Republic of Liberia and Judge Feika reminded that parties that this principle of law has been upheld in a plethora of the Supreme Court opinions.
The management of EcoBank Liberia as Co-defendant and others have been charged with the crimes of Economic Sabotage, Theft of Property, Forgery and Criminal Conspiracy involving Nanborlor F. Singbeh, Sr. Secretary of the Liberian senate, Mr. George W. Wisner, former Executive Director of National investment Commission (NIC) and others through a legal battle with British national Armstrong.
According to the new indictment, Mr. Singbeh and others to be identified are alleged to have conspired, collude and facilitate to commit the said crimes which are in violation of Chapter 15, Section 15.80 a, b, c and e of the New Penal Law Of Liberia Titled 26 of Liberia Code of Law Revised.
The legal battle is rooted in a dispute between Singbeh and Armstrong on a question of who is the rightful ownership of two yellow machines that include one caterpillar excavator with model 325 DNL valued at US$120, 000 and one Atlas Copco Jackhammer valued at US$ 225, 000.
The machines are said to be owned by MHM EKO Liberia Inc, and the equipment in question is currently being rented by ArcelorMittal Liberia.
The Company MHM EKO Liberia Inc. was organized in May 2013 and registered as a legal entity in June 2013. Six months after its registration, Singbeh was joined by two foreign partners-Pavel Miloschewsky and Martin Miloschewsky in which Singbeh served as President and CEO before the current controversy ensued.