The Justice-In-Chambers at the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia, Yusif D. Kaba has declined to issue a Writ in favor of lawyers representing WBHOSC a major contractor to Arcellor Mittal Liberia after a request for change of venue in the trial of a two million United States Dollars action of damages for the wrongful death of a young Liberian.
Lawyers representing WBHOSC fled to the Justice-In-Chambers praying for a Writ of Certiorari to change the decision of the Presiding Judge at the 8th Judicial Circuit Court In Sanniquellie, Nimba County after the Circuit Judge denied a Motion for Change of Venue filed by WBHOSC.
In his mandate declining the issuance of the Preemptory Writ of Certiorari, Justice Kaba declined to issue the writ and instructed the Circuit Judge Presiding over the 8th Judicial Circuit Court to proceed and expeditiously hear the case.
The mandate from the Justice-In-Chambers stated, “By directive of Yusif D. Kaka, Associate Justice presiding in Chambers you are hereby mandated to resume jurisdiction, and proceed expeditiously in keeping with law, as the Justice has declined to issue the Writ prayed for”.
With such mandate including the use of the word expeditiously, the Circuit Judge is expected to assign the matter for full trial in line with the mandate from the Justice In-Chambers.
The case grew out of a complaint filed by the Intestate Estate of the late Prince Gbeangan by and thru its Administratrix Mrs. Joretha Kehzie Quoi who on September 13, 2014, through her legal counsel Cllr. Lawrence Sua and Cllr. Samwar S. Fallah filed a seventeen (17) count action of damages for wrongful death, emotional distress and other associated pain and agony from the death of Gbeangan against Ayres Dahn, the rider of a motorbike and WBHOSC.
In the complaint, the Plaintiff stated that on August 11, 2024, the late Prince Gbeangan was hit by a motorbike and as the motorbike stopped to take Prince to the hospital for medical attention, a WBHOSC vehicle that was hauling another vehicle ran into Prince, dragged him to a distance and caused his death. Eyewitnesses’ accounts and also a CCTV stationed at the God’s Willing Gas Station nearby captured the moment the WBHOSC hit and dragged Prince Gbeangan resulting to his death.
In the complaint the Plaintiff indicated that WBHOSC officials visited the family after the incident and promised to return after the burial to sit with the family and discuss some form of support for the deceased to help his children with education and other livelihoods but the company failed to live up to the promise despite numerous efforts by the deceased’s family to reach out to the Company for attention.
On 23rd Day of October AD 2025, Resident Circuit Judge Presiding over the 8th Judicial Circuit Court, Pape Suah ruled by means of default judgment awarding an amount of One Million five hundred thousand in general damages, One hundred and ninety five thousand Liberian dollars in special damages and five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars in consequential damages to the family of the late Prince Gbeangan who was killed by a vehicle belonging to WBHOSC in Ganta, Nimba County.
Lawyers representing WBHOSC filed a Motion for Relief from Judgment, and the motion was granted on grounds that WBHOSC was not brought under the jurisdiction of the Court and was not aware of the proceeding that led to the final judgement.
The case started afresh and WBHOSC filed an answer to the Plaintiff’s Complaint. Pleading having rested, before the Disposition of Law issues, WBHOSC filed a Motion for Change of Venue and the Circuit Judge Presiding Nelson C. Chinneh ruled that the facts and circumstances of the case presented no issue that warrants Change of venue hence denied the Motion which led to the filing of a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the Justice-In-Chambers.
