ST. PAUL, Minnesota, October 19, 2026 — A United States administrative law judge has recommended lifting the emergency suspension of three assisted living facilities owned by Liberian businessman Sekou Hussein Dukuly, ruling that Minnesota health authorities failed to establish that residents faced an imminent risk of harm.
In a ruling dated October 14, 2026, Administrative Law Judge Suzanne Todnem concluded that the Minnesota Department of Health prematurely suspended the operating licenses of Golden Touch Health Care LLC, a company owned by Dukuly.
The judge recommended that Minnesota Health Commissioner Brooke Cunningham rescind the suspensions, finding that the department had not met the legal threshold required to justify emergency action against the facilities.
The decision marks a significant development in a dispute that has attracted attention within the Liberian community in Minnesota, although the recommendation remains subject to final administrative review.
Golden Touch operates three licensed assisted living facilities in Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center, providing care to individuals with physical and mental health needs.
On August 19, 2026, Minnesota health investigators visited the facilities and subsequently suspended all three operating licenses for 90 days, forcing the company to relocate 11 residents.
The department based its action on two concerns: the absence of a registered assisted living director following Dukuly’s removal from the state licensing board’s director-of-record registration on August 12, and an anticipated suspension of Medical Assistance payments linked to a separate fraud investigation.
State authorities argued that the combined circumstances threatened the company’s ability to provide uninterrupted care to residents.
However, following an expedited hearing on October 1, Judge Todnem determined that the evidence did not establish an imminent threat sufficient to warrant emergency suspension.
According to the ruling, the anticipated withholding of Medical Assistance payments was scheduled to begin September 21, approximately 33 days after the licenses were suspended.
The judge reasoned that a potential future loss of revenue did not, by itself, demonstrate an immediate danger to residents.
She also noted that Golden Touch had not experienced any reduction in revenue when the department took action.
During the hearing, nurse supervisor Ishmael Komara testified that Dukuly possessed sufficient financial resources to maintain operations for approximately six months, even without Medical Assistance payments.
The judge questioned the department’s decision to suspend the facilities before allowing the company to determine whether it could continue operating under the anticipated financial restrictions.
“It is not appropriate to strip a licensee of its options and then use the lack of exercising those options against it,” Judge Todnem wrote.
On the issue of management, the judge acknowledged that Golden Touch violated state requirements by operating without a properly registered director of record after August 12.
However, she found that the violation did not automatically constitute an emergency requiring immediate suspension.
The ruling noted that registered nurse Tabitha Vickie Briggs, a licensed assisted living director, had applied on August 13 to oversee the three facilities.
Sheikh Dukuly, the company’s coverage administrator, and Komara also possessed assisted living director licenses.
The judge observed that the department’s normal response to a missing registered director, when it is the only violation, would generally be a correction order rather than an immediate suspension.
She also questioned aspects of the investigation, including the failure to interview Sekou Dukuly or adequately establish whether qualified personnel were available to supervise operations.
In rejecting the department’s argument that the management and financial concerns collectively established imminent danger, the judge described part of its reasoning as “disingenuous.”
The ruling nevertheless does not clear Golden Touch of every regulatory concern.
Judge Todnem upheld the finding that the facilities lacked a properly registered director during the relevant period and acknowledged inconsistencies in staff explanations about management responsibilities.
The decision also does not resolve the separate fraud allegations under investigation by the Minnesota Department of Human Services or the department’s separate license revocation proceedings.
Those matters remain outside the scope of the emergency suspension hearing.
Under the administrative process, both parties have 10 calendar days to file exceptions to the judge’s recommendation, after which the Health Commissioner has 10 business days to adopt, reject or modify the findings.
The recommendation therefore does not automatically restore the company’s operating licenses or authorize the immediate reopening of the facilities.
For Dukuly and his supporters, however, the ruling represents an important step in challenging the state’s decision to shut down the homes.
The case has generated considerable interest among Liberians residing in Minnesota, particularly in Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center, where the community has a significant presence.
Supporters have welcomed the decision as a positive development for the Liberian entrepreneur, whose business has remained closed since the August suspension.
The dispute also raises questions about regulatory enforcement and the standards government agencies must satisfy before taking emergency action against licensed healthcare providers.
For now, Golden Touch awaits the Health Commissioner’s final determination, while separate regulatory proceedings remain unresolved.
The Minnesota Department of Health and Golden Touch Health Care reportedly did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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