Bomi County Official Arrested

By Garmah Lomo

BOMI COUNTY-OCTOBER 28, 2025: The Liberia National Police (LNP) has arrested and charged Mr. Alphonso M. Sherman, the Administrative Officer of Bomi County for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to steal and sell heavy-duty mining equipment worth over US$2 million.

According to the Crime Services Division (CSD) of the LNP, Mr. Sherman faces multiple charges, including criminal conspiracy, theft of property, criminal attempt to commit theft, criminal facilitation, criminal solicitation, criminal mischief, and burglary. These charges fall under Chapters 10 and 15 of Liberia’s Revised Penal Code.

Police investigators say the alleged offenses occurred between March and May 2025 in Sackie Town, Bomi County, involving several caterpillar excavators, dump trucks, wheel loaders, gold washing plants, and generators belonging to Mr. Hans Armstrong, a British businessman operating in Liberia.

The case emerged after Mr. Armstrong, through his legal representative Attorney Mbivulo Blama of the Liberia Law Group Inc., filed a complaint accusing Mr. Sherman of unlawfully attempting to sell his equipment as scrap.

According to the complaint, Mr. Sherman issued a public notice of sale dated May 16, 2025, addressed to the Universal Scrap Dealers Company, inviting buyers to purchase the machines as scrap metal.

Police say the same equipment had been the subject of a long-running legal battle between Armstrong and two other individuals-Mr. Reginald Holder and Mr. Jehu Richardson which was resolved earlier this year by Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia. The court’s ruling awarded ownership and possession rights to Armstrong.

Despite being aware of that ruling, Sherman allegedly proceeded to solicit buyers for the machinery. This prompted co-defendants Fatu Kanneh and Abraham Barry to move onto the site in Sackie Town where they reportedly began cutting the equipment into pieces for scrap. Both suspects are now at large.

During questioning, Sherman admitted that he authored and signed the May 16 sale notice but denied that any actual sale had taken place. He claimed that county authorities were only seeking to “dispose of abandoned machinery” and said they were willing to return the equipment once Armstrong presented what he called “legitimate ownership documents.”

However, the police investigation dismissed Sherman’s explanation, pointing to multiple court documents and directives confirming Armstrong’s ownership. Among them was a ruling dated July 10, 2025, by Judge A. Blamo Dixon of Criminal Court “C”, authorizing Armstrong to repossess the equipment.

Investigators also cited a directive issued on April 7, 2025, from Judge Dixon to Bomi County Superintendent Miatta Dorley, instructing her office to lift any stay orders and facilitate Armstrong’s repossession of the equipment. Police say Sherman, acting as Administrative Officer, ignored this directive and instead proceeded with plans to sell the machines.

Charges and Legal Proceedings

Based on the findings, the LNP formally charged Mr. Sherman under Sections 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 15.5, 15.20, and 15.51 of Liberia’s Penal Code. The case has since been forwarded to the 11th Judicial Circuit Court in Bomi County for prosecution.

Sherman remains in police custody, while efforts continue to locate and arrest his alleged accomplices, Kanneh and Barry, who are believed to be hiding.

Police records reveal that Armstrong legally purchased the disputed equipment from Euro Liberia Logging Company on March 9, 2012, for US$117,000. The machinery was later leased to Italgems Mining Company for operations in Sackie Town, Bomi County.

The case has sparked renewed public concern over the abuse of administrative authority at the county level and the growing problem of illegal scrap operations involving government officials and private actors across Liberia.