The National Elections Commission faces the possible freezing of its bank and mobile money accounts after M-Tosh Prints Media petitioned the Commercial Court, charging Chairperson Davidetta Browne-Lansanah with ignoring a $171,000 debt ruling.
The Consortium of Legal Practitioners, headed by Cllr. Arthur T. Johnson, filed the request on the grounds that NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne-Lansanah has failed to honor commitments to settle a debt of slightly more than $171,000 owed to M-Tosh, a Liberian-owned company.
“I respectfully write to bring to the attention of the Honourable Court the continued and willful failure of the National Elections Commission (NEC), headed by its Chairperson, Madam Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, to comply with the final judgment rendered by this Honourable Court, growing out of the execution proceedings in the matter of The Management of M-Tosh Prints, Inc., represented by Mr. Varney Fahnbulleh of Monrovia, versus the NEC of Liberia, represented by Mrs. Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, Executive Chairperson and Board of Commissioners of Monrovia, in an action of debt, to which the NEC was a judgment debtor,” the letter to Associate Judge Chan-Chan A. Paegar of the Commercial Court states.
Johnson expressed disappointment in Browne-Lansanah for neglecting to satisfy the court’s ruling and called on the court to act in accordance with law.
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“Accordingly, we hereby pray your Honour and this Honourable Court to issue a Writ of Garnishment against the National Elections Commission, directing the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, and all commercial banks in the Republic of Liberia that are holders of NEC accounts–both operations and salaries, including any other account belonging to the NEC–and any other relevant government agency or banking or financial institution, including mobile money accounts, holding funds on behalf of the NEC, to withhold and pay over to the Sheriff of this Court the full judgment amount plus lawful costs and interest, in the amount of $171,105, consistent with Chapter 44, Sections 44.35 to 44.36 of the Liberian Civil Procedure Law, Revenue Code 1,” the request stated.
He noted that the action is predicated upon the NEC’s failure to comply with an execution order recently issued by the Commercial Court, which led to the locking of the main entrance of the commission’s headquarters.
“Despite the service of the Writ of Execution issued by the Honourable Court and the exhaustion of the period afforded for compliance, the NEC has refused and neglected to satisfy the judgment amount as adjudged. This defiance not only undermines the authority and dignity of the Court but also violates the principles of due process and the enforcement of final judicial determinations under Liberian law,” Johnson said.
He concluded by emphasizing that the submission is in the interest of justice and in keeping with the enforcement authority of the Commercial Court of Liberia to ensure full compliance with its binding orders.
Impact on NEC’s Operations
If the Commercial Court acts upon M-Tosh’s request, the Board of Commissioners and NEC staffers are likely to miss their salaries and benefits in the coming months. The commission’s overall operations could also be severely slowed or shut down.
On Aug. 19, 2025, sheriffs executed a court order mandating them to lock the NEC headquarters and authorizing them to seize and sell NEC properties to settle the amount owed to M-Tosh. The order also allowed sheriffs to bring before the judge Browne-Lansanah and all six commissioners to explain why the commission had failed to honor the ruling.
The sheriffs locked the main entrance of the headquarters, but the action was later reversed after the NEC informed the court that international guests were attending a major function at the time. The sheriffs reportedly considered the situation embarrassing but accepted assurances that the matter would be addressed.
That same day, Browne-Lansanah told journalists that the NEC legal section would look into the matter and advise on the proper steps to resolve it. Since then, however, there has been no indication that she took action to resolve the issue.
Boakai’s Suspension of Browne-Lansanah
On Jan. 15, 2025, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai suspended Browne-Lansanah indefinitely, citing violations of the Elections Law. Before the suspension, NEC staffers staged unrest and protests, accusing her of refusing to pay hazard and insurance benefits following the 2023 legislative and presidential elections.
Work at the NEC came to a complete halt for nearly a month, creating both national and international embarrassment–particularly because Browne-Lansanah had returned $6 million to the government as a balance from the $53 million budget for the elections. Of the $8 million total balance, $2 million was used to fund a senatorial by-election in Nimba County following the election of Jeremiah Kpan Koung as vice president.
On Feb. 20, President Boakai reinstated Browne-Lansanah following intervention by close confidantes, sources at the Executive Mansion said. She was advised to resolve the NEC’s internal crisis. For protesting employees, the reinstatement was seen as a win, but Browne-Lansanah has still failed to pay the benefits.
The $6 Million Controversy
Browne-Lansanah defended her decision to return the $6 million as a demonstration of financial honesty. But fellow commissioners accused her of acting out of frustration after failing to push through questionable projects that lacked approval from the board. She was accused of unilateral decision-making that, at times, led to constitutional crises during the 2023 elections.
One accusation was that she wanted to build a canteen at NEC headquarters for $50,000 without board approval, despite existing food vendors nearby.
“We suggested buying a generator to serve us during electricity outages, but she refused. She kept introducing projects we opposed because she refused to seek majority approval,” a commissioner said at the time.
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According to several commissioners and staffers, Browne-Lansanah has consistently displayed an authoritarian leadership style. “She refused for us to settle the liabilities. The commission owes these employees their due benefits. There is no question about that. But because of greed she failed to listen to us and sent the money back. That money should have been used to settle vendors,” another commissioner said.
History of Controversies
On Jan. 15, 2020, former President George Weah appointed Browne-Lansanah as NEC chair after the Senate rejected his nomination of Cllr. A. Ndubusi Nwabudike over citizenship concerns. Browne-Lansanah, then a commissioner under Cllr. Jerome George Kokoya, was considered experienced and expected to unify the commission.
But she soon clashed with the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) over violations of bidding procedures. Tensions escalated between her and then-PPCC Executive Director Roseline Kowo, who previously served as NEC’s procurement director.
In November 2022, Browne-Lansanah awarded a contract to Tuma Enterprise to rent facial recognition devices for more than $180,000, a deal critics said should have cost less than $50,000 if purchased outright.
Her unilateral action led to her indictment by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission on multiple counts. The case was forwarded to court, but prosecution stalled because there was no Ombudsman in place at the time to formally investigate and recommend action.
Though she avoided prosecution, the controversy left a lasting stigma on her tenure.
