IIPNEWS: In this long-running battle of Might versus Right, Liberia’s Supreme Court today issued a “Release” relating to the contentious and repeated closures of Colony Hotel. The crux of this case is the July 31, 2025 Ruling of the Debt Court that cleared Colony Hotel of any connection with, or wrongdoing in a debt dispute involving the owners of Palm Spring Hotel and certain Chinese nationals believed to be close associates of the Chief Justice.
There are two things critically wrong with the Supreme Court Release. First, the Release states that Judge Jones, who exonerated Colony Hotel in the first place, asked the Chief Justice to reassign the case because less than 25% of the judgment award had been recovered. The Supreme Court did not overturn Judge Jones’ Order exonerating Colony Hotel. The Court merely reassigned the matter to Labor Court Judge Kollie to enforce the judgment of Judge Jones. Thus, the Supreme Court never brought Colony Hotel back into the case. Therefore, the enforcement of a judgment against Colony Hotel, a proven non-party is categorically wrong.
The second critically wrong element of the Supreme Court Release is that the Court stated,”
“Also addressed was the dispute surrounding the Palm Springs Hotel, now operating as Colony Hotel, which had been legally attached as security for the debt. The Court stated that Mr. Kamand allegedly attempted to terminate his lease on the property to shield it from the judgment, a move the Court characterized as “deliberate and malicious.””
The Court’s characterization of “Palm Springs Hotel, now operating as Colony Hotel” is just not only wrong, but has no basis in law, because Judge Jones Judgment still stands and the Supreme Court never overturned that Order. Thus, this statement by the Court either displays memory loss or is an attempt by the Supreme Court to mislead the public. Palm Spring Hotel and Colony Hotel have different shareholders; therefore, Colony Hotel (actually Colony Incorporated) cannot legally operate as Palm Spring or vice versa.
The release further claims, “Mr. Kamand allegedly attempted to terminate his lease on the property to shield from judgment.” This is false. Palm Spring did not terminate its lease; rather, the landlord terminated the lease for nonpayment of rent eight months before the Chinese filed her lawsuit. That is why the lawsuit is against Najib Kamand as an individual. Unless Mr. Kamand has the ability to predict 5 years the future, he could not have “attempted” to lose his lease to avoid a judgment that was rendered in June 2025.
Despite a Supreme Court statement claiming Colony Hotel was tied as surety in the debt case, the hotel’s management strongly denies this. The lease agreement between Palm Spring and its landlorad ended in March 2020. By September 2020, Colony Incorporated—a Liberian-owned group—had directly leased the property from its owners.
Colony Inc. is owned by a Liberian businesswoman who returned home, invested in the rundown property with her uncle, and with partners, renovated the property, and reopened it as Colony Hotel in 2023.
Without notifying Colony Hotel, the Debt Court issued closure papers in July 2024, wrongly asserting the hotel was linked to Palm Spring’s debt case. Colony Inc. immediately filed a Bill of Information—a legal notice—proving they were not connected to Palm Spring and not responsible for its debts. Yet, despite filing in July 2024, the case wasn’t assigned to a judge for nearly a year, leaving the hotel in legal limbo.
In June 2025, Colony Inc. petitioned the Supreme Court with a Writ of Mandamus. Associate Justice Clinton-Johnson, who is also the wife of the plaintiff’s recent counsel, Cllr. Lavala K. Johnson, heard the case and ordered that Colony’s Bill of Information be heard by Judge James Jones, who was instructed to rule according to the law.
After reviewing the case, including the formal termination of the Palm Spring lease six months before Colony Inc. took over, Judge James E. Jones ruled that Colony Hotel operates as a separate business and did not acquire Palm Spring’s assets or debts. He ordered the hotel to operate without interference and instructed the court and sheriff to halt any enforcement actions against Colony Hotel related to the disputed debts involving Mr. Najib Kamand and Ding Shu Jun (aka Nancy Chinese Lady).
The dispute centers around a $1.3 million debt judgment awarded to a plaintiff known as “Chinese Lady Nancy.” Court documents link this debt to Palm Spring, not Colony Hotel. Records show Palm Spring had paid nearly $200,000 toward the debt, agreeing to pay $10,000 monthly. Yet Nancy, through her alleged boyfriend “Chinese Jack,” a close friend of Chief Justice Gbeisay, complained the payments were too small and requested the courts collect $100,000 monthly or else close Colony Hotel. After the Debt Court released Colony from any liability, neither Nancy nor “Chinese Jack” filed an appeal or legal notice to challenge the ruling—both required for Supreme Court review in civil cases.
Despite these rulings separating Colony Hotel from the debt case, on Monday, October 13, 2025, during the Supreme Court’s October session, Labor Court officers under Judge Joseph B. Kollie ordered the closure and locking of Colony Hotel and other businesses in the complex. This was based on a ‘Writ of Execution’ related to a case involving former Palm Spring owners Najib Kamand versus Ding Shu Jun (Nancy Chinese Lady), ignoring the prior Debt Court ruling clearing Colony Hotel.
The ‘Writ of Execution’ commanded Bailiff Ruth C. Sumo, Acting Sheriff of Montserrado County Debt Court, to seize and sell assets belonging to Najib Kamand to satisfy $156,000 owed. If no assets were found, the writ authorized seizing property or arresting Kamand until payment or property seizure could satisfy the debt, following Liberia’s civil procedure law.
Notably, Kamand had already paid over $200,000 toward the judgment and offered $10,000 monthly payments. Nancy, via her attorney Shao Song Guo (“Jack”), rejected this and demanded $100,000 monthly or closure of the property.
On Monday, October 20, 2025, the Acting Clerk of Debt Court formally notified Colony Hotel management of Judge Kollie’s directive, citing complaints that hotel tenants were obstructing court functions. Management was given 24 hours to evict all tenants or face contempt of court charges.
True to that order, court officers arrived early Tuesday and began forcibly evicting guests, then locking guests in the hotel for hours. An elderly Korean patron fell ill and is currently hospitalized.
Colony Inc. is owned by a Liberian businesswoman who returned home, invested in the rundown property with her uncle, and with partners, renovated the property, and reopened it as Colony Hotel in 2023.
Without notifying Colony Hotel, the Debt Court issued closure papers in July 2024, wrongly asserting the hotel was linked to Palm Spring’s debt case. Colony Inc. immediately filed a Bill of Information—a legal notice—proving they were not connected to Palm Spring and not responsible for its debts. Yet, despite filing in July 2024, the case wasn’t assigned to a judge for nearly a year, leaving the hotel in legal limbo.
In June 2025, Colony Inc. petitioned the Supreme Court with a Writ of Mandamus. Associate Justice Clinton-Johnson, who is also the wife of the plaintiff’s recent counsel, Cllr. Lavala K. Johnson, heard the case and ordered that Colony’s Bill of Information be heard by Judge James Jones, who was instructed to rule according to the law.
After reviewing the case, including the formal termination of the Palm Spring lease six months before Colony Inc. took over, Judge James E. Jones ruled that Colony Hotel operates as a separate business and did not acquire Palm Spring’s assets or debts. He ordered the hotel to operate without interference and instructed the court and sheriff to halt any enforcement actions against Colony Hotel related to the disputed debts involving Mr. Najib Kamand and Ding Shu Jun (aka Nancy Chinese Lady).
The dispute centers around a $1.3 million debt judgment awarded to a plaintiff known as “Chinese Lady Nancy.” Court documents link this debt to Palm Spring, not Colony Hotel. Records show Palm Spring had paid nearly $200,000 toward the debt, agreeing to pay $10,000 monthly. Yet Nancy, through her alleged boyfriend “Chinese Jack,” a close friend of Chief Justice Gbeisay, complained the payments were too small and requested the courts collect $100,000 monthly or else close Colony Hotel. After the Debt Court released Colony from any liability, neither Nancy nor “Chinese Jack” filed an appeal or legal notice to challenge the ruling—both required for Supreme Court review in civil cases.
Despite these rulings separating Colony Hotel from the debt case, on Monday, October 13, 2025, during the Supreme Court’s October session, Labor Court officers under Judge Joseph B. Kollie ordered the closure and locking of Colony Hotel and other businesses in the complex. This was based on a ‘Writ of Execution’ related to a case involving former Palm Spring owners Najib Kamand versus Ding Shu Jun (Nancy Chinese Lady), ignoring the prior Debt Court ruling clearing Colony Hotel.
The ‘Writ of Execution’ commanded Bailiff Ruth C. Sumo, Acting Sheriff of Montserrado County Debt Court, to seize and sell assets belonging to Najib Kamand to satisfy $156,000 owed. If no assets were found, the writ authorized seizing property or arresting Kamand until payment or property seizure could satisfy the debt, following Liberia’s civil procedure law.
Notably, Kamand had already paid over $200,000 toward the judgment and offered $10,000 monthly payments. Nancy, via her attorney Shao Song Guo (“Jack”), rejected this and demanded $100,000 monthly or closure of the property.
On Monday, October 20, 2025, the Acting Clerk of Debt Court formally notified Colony Hotel management of Judge Kollie’s directive, citing complaints that hotel tenants were obstructing court functions. Management was given 24 hours to evict all tenants or face contempt of court charges.
True to that order, court officers arrived early Tuesday and began forcibly evicting guests, then locking guests in the hotel for hours. An elderly Korean patron fell ill and is currently hospitalized.
