08/10/2025
Counselors Sannoh,, Nwabudike Face Disbarment over US$360 Unpaid Unpaid License Fees
Counselors Benedetti Sannoh and A. Ndubuisi Nwabudike, are likely to be barred from practice of law for the rest of the year, because they have not paid for their law licenses and several other fees, which summed up to US$360, according to the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) records.
The LNBA confirmation was made in response to the International Law Group, the law firm that is representing the complainant and British national, Hans Armstrong, who sought the US$430,920.
The law firm requested the LNBA Secretariat to attest, as to whether, or not Sannoh and Nwabudike have paid for their lawyer’s license.
In the LNBA’s reply, dated October 3, 2025, and addressed to Cllr. Amara Sheriff, reads, “we, herewith acknowledge your request to the Secretariat to attest as to whether or not Counsellors Benedict Sannoh and A. Ndubuisi Nwabudike are licensed lawyers. We, accordingly, have delved into the archives of the LNBA and found Counsellors Benedict Sannoh and A. Ndubuisi Nwabudike are not in Good Standing with the LNBA and as such, are not licensed lawyers for 2025."
They are lawyers representing
Activa international insurance company, at risk of an imminent shutdown and possible arrest for many of its managers, if it doesn’t raise US$430,920 in keeping with the judgemenot of the Debt Court for Montserrado County. The duo got themselves in trouble when they challenged the authority of the court to enforce its July 14, 2025 judgement, against Activa.
Though, Activa is not a party to a equipment rental agreement between Citadel Mining Services, a Ghanaian subcontracted company by Western Cluster to operate on its mining concession premises in Bomi County and Hans Armstrong, a British national.
However, Activa became a party, after posting a indemnity bond in the amount of US$750,000, in favor of Citadel Mining, and was approved by Judge James Jones.
After approving the bond, Judge Jones removed the stay placed on all of the equipment of Citadel Mining.
But, when the judgment was delivered on July 14, 2025, the Sheriff’s return, it 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."
It was based on the sheriff’s report Armstrong's lawyers filed with the court a bill of information to make sure that Activa should be held liable to pay the judgment amount, which decision the court granted.
This is the case Sannoh and Nwabudike are legally defending, when the LNBA records revealed that they were not licensed lawyers for 2025.
Despite the LNBA’s confirmation, it remains to be seen whether Judge James Jones would disqualify Sannoh and Nwabudike from further participation in the case which, if it happens, could be a serious setback for Activa.
The payment of the license fees is sanctioned by the Supreme Court, as a prerequisite for lawyers to practice law throughout the country.
If Jones accepts the LNBA’s reply, it is a clear indication that he would discard all of the pleadings filed to his court, in favor of Activa.
Cllr. Sannoh is a professor of law at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, at the University of Liberia, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, of the Sannoh and Partners Law Firm owned by himself. While, Nwabudike is a senior of the Sannoh and Partners and former chairman of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC). His nomination by former President George Weah to head the National Elections Commission (NEC) created a serious embarrassment for him, particularly when the LNBA challenged his citizenship.
The then president was compelled to withdraw his nomination.
The General Rule applicable in all courts of Liberia specifically Rule 5 entitled "Lawyers to be licensed to Practice Deadline."
It states "The deadline for lawyers and law firms to obtain licenses to practice law and to operate law firm is the Second Monday, in March of each year. After this date no lawyer who has not obtained his/her annual licence, for the year shall be permitted to practice before any court, or before any administrative tribunal, or any agency of government directly or indirectly nor will a lawyer who has not paid his/her annual dues of the Liberia National Bar Association up to the Second Monday in March of each year be permitted to practice before any court of the Republic of Liberia."
As earlier as 1881, the Honourable Supreme Court opined as follows: "an attorney, although qualified, is not entitled to practice law before any court before obtaining licence to do so as required by status. Were the term of an attorney has expired, he is barred from practicing law until same is retained." See Sherman vs Sherman ILLR 181. In the case Talery et al vas Cooper 20 LLR 314, (1971) , this is what the Supreme Court says, "the Supreme Court will not realize any person as a counsel for a party who have not obtained a lawyer licence as required." Buchanan vs Raymond Concrete Pile Company, 20 LLR 330 (1971), the Supreme Court opined as follows: "a motion brought by a lawyer who had not obtained a lawyer licence is a nullity in law and the Supreme Court will treat wit as no motion is before court."
Moreover, the status itself enacted by the Legislature of Liberia entitled- New Judiciary Law approved and published 1972 also provides as follows: "no person shall practice law or appeared before any court as an attorney before a valid licence as a lawyer."
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.
'The total indebtedness of defendant 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.
