Liberia: Sen. Snowe Accused of Shielding Ghanaian Company

A lawyer representing Activa International Insurances Company has accused Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe of Bomi County of protecting the interests of Citadel Mining Services, a Ghanaian company at the center of a court case.

Cllr. A. Ndubuisi Nwabudike revealed at a court hearing last week that he has documents in his possession to prove that Senator Snowe is an agent of the mining company and that he [Snowe] needs to be summoned to give information about its operations in the country. The Ghanaian company has reportedly fled the country after being found guilty in a case that worth nearly half a million United States dollars.

Nwabudike continues, “Senator Snowe is best positioned to assist in locating Citadel Mining as its agent, and someone who has benefited from the operation of Citadel.”

The dispute began when Activa, facing potential arrest if failing to pay US$430,920 as per a judgment from the Debt Court for Montserrado County on July 14, 2025, posted a US$750,000 indemnity bond for Citadel Mining Services. Citadel Mining, a subcontracted Ghanaian company operating in Bomi County, failed to meet the court’s judgment, leading Activa to face repercussions.

Despite Activa’s objections, the court held the insurance company accountable for the judgment amount due to Citadel Mining’s closure without addressing the financial obligation.

But, according to the Sheriff’s return, Citadel Mining Services, which was found liable (guilty), head office in Monrovia and operation site in Bomi County had been closed, without knowing the whereabouts of the management to satisfy the July 14, 2025, judgment against it. But the court is now holding Activa international insurance company liable to pay the judgment amount, which Activa’s lawyers had strongly opposed.

During a hearing last week into Activa’s request to exonerate the company from the judgment enforcement, Cllr. A. Ndubuisi Nwabudike accused Senator Snowe of being an agent of Citadel Mining in the country. Although Senator Snowe not a party to the case, Cllr. Nwabudike told the court the senator needs to be summoned to give information about the operation of Citadel Mining in Liberia.

Nwabudike continues, “Senator Snowe is best positioned to assist in locating Citadel Mining as its agent, and someone who has benefited from the operation of Citadel,” he said.

According to Nwabudike, he has documents in his possession to authenticate his accusations against Senator Snowe involvement with Citadel Mining.

“On the document Senator Snowe signed as an agent of Citadel Mining in Liberia,” Nwabudike claims, but he did display the document before the court. He added, “The Court can’t hold Activa responsible when the company agent can be located.”

He however urged the court to summon Senator Snowe to testify about his association with Citadel Mining. But Judge James Jones did not respond to Snowe’s request on the basis that he had already rendered judgment in the matter.

However, effort by this reporter to contact Senator Snowe for his response did not materialize to the publication of the story.

The reporter also contacted Senator Snowe on his WhatsApp messages, text messages and phone calls on his phone number 0777660800, still the senator did not reply.

Jones’ judgment resulted from an application filed by the plaintiff, Horizon Transport and Construction Company to hold the surety, Activa international insurance company for the judgment amount in keeping with the law.

indemnity refers to protection against or compensation for a loss or liability. It’s essentially a contractual agreement where one party (the indemnitor) promises to compensate another party (the indemnitee) for specified losses or damages they may incur.

The debt came as a result of a Hitachi 850 equipment rental agreement between Citadel Mining Services and Horizon Transport and Construction Company owned by Hans Armstrong, a British investor (plaintiff).

In this case, according to a highly judicial source, Western Cluster and Citadel Mining Services paid Activa international insurance company the amount of US$40,000 for the bond. But, during the trial,

Unfortunately, since the court’s judgment on July 14, 2025, holding Citadel Mining Services liable in the amount of US$430,920, the Sheriff’s return shows that shows that Citadel Mining’s head office in Monrovia and operation site in Bomi County had been closed, adding “without knowing the whereabouts of the management to satisfy the judgment against it.”

Western Cluster was absolved from any liability, since it had nothing to do with whosoever with the agreement between Citadel Mining and Horizon, but was added as a party defendant, only because the equipment operated on its mining concession premises, according to the court’s ruling.

“Thereby holding Citadel Mining Services liable to plaintiff in the amount of US$430,920, inclusive of interest prescribed by the law,” Judge Jones further ruled. The actual money used is US$378,000.

The court had already issued payment orders mandating Citadel Mining Services pay, but the company’s management was nowhere to be identified. It was at the results of the Sheriff’s return, that prompted the plaintiff to file with the court an application holding the surety, Activa international insurance company for the judgment amount in keeping with the law.

According to the lawsuit, Citadel Mining, a Ghanaian subcontracted company by Western Cluster, in July 2022, entered into an equipment lease agreement to rent Armstrong’s Hitachi 850 heavy machine to be used on Western Cluster’s concession site, in Bomi County.

But, the suit claims, since August of 2022 up to and including May 31, 2023, Citadel Mining took Armstrong’s equipment to the Western mining site and began using it there without making any payment, with each month US$84K amounting to the US$378K.

And the machine was still in Citadel Mining’s possession and being used on the Western Cluster’s concession area.

However, Western Cluster’s involvement with the suit is based on the doctrine of respondeat superior, where the principal is held liable for the indebtedness of the agent, now Citadel Mining, second defendant, the lawsuit argued.

“The total indebtedness of defendants in the tune of US$378K, reflecting the eight and a half month, including the 6 percent interest, totaling US$430,920, they continue to maintain actual and physical and usage of the machine at the operational area in Bomi County. He did not know the exact location of the equipment,” Armstrong’s suit claims.

By Liberian Observer.