Source: http://www.frontpageafrica.com/newsmanager/anmviewer.asp?a=11100&z=3
Monrovia -
A 12-member empanelled jury at Criminal Court “C”, Temple of Justice in Monrovia Monday rendered a unanimous guilty verdict against Mars Jusu Paasewe and his brother Richard Paasewe in the US$1.1 million case.
Records from the court revealed that defendant Mars introduced Richard to the deal for the transfer of the money from the account of the government of Liberia (GOL) to a private account at the Ecobank.
State Prosecutor M. Wilkins Wright told the jurors that the case is about forgery, theft and conspiracy.
Outlining the theory of the case, M. Wilkins Wright, who is the chief prosecutor for the GOL, told the jurors that the case is about forgery, theft and conspiracy.
Cllr. Wright further told the court that each of the three defendants played a major role in transferring the money.
The state lawyer stated after Gbotee had called Mars and provided details of the plan, Mars informed his brother Richard that an account could be opened in the name of E-Jee Sirleaf, where the money would have been transferred.
He argued that Gbotee processed the forms, which enable them to do the withdrawal of US$2,000 from Ecobank’s Vai Town branch.
On the issue of the defendants’ claim that Cllr. Wright told them to admit to guilt because of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s interest in the case, Cllr. Wright clarified that his action was predicated on the defendants’ sister request to help her two brothers out of the trouble.
Defense Witness Mars Jusu Paasewe was found guilty
He contended that the accused should be brought down guilty of the crimes charged, because if they could forge the president’s signature to withdraw money from the bank, they can even forge her signature to declare war.
He asserted that the acts of corruption are not only carry out by government officials alone, but any act of dishonesty as in the instant case.
“Government is asking you to bring a guilty verdict,” he added.
However, one of the prosecutors, Theophilius C. Gould, informed the jurors not to be carried away by ‘sentiment’ that NSA has a snake to scare suspects.
Cllr. Gould, a long time criminal lawyer, noted that the defendants themselves admitted to the crimes of forgery, theft and criminal conspiracy.
He further maintained that the defendants wanted to embarrass the President of Liberia.
“Criminals have the propensity to destroy this jurisdiction, but you have to set the record straight,” Cllr. Gould averred.
The defense led by David Woah, however, took a different trend in his argument, stating that Charles Sirleaf told the accused that the only way he would help them was to open an account in the name of E-Jee Sirleaf, which he could control.
Atty. Woah told the jurors that Charles used the name of one Gbotoe, different from the defendant Gbotee.
He argued that when Richard was arrested, as one of the defendants, he told the personnel of the NSA that it was Charles (the president’s son) who opened the account for his trust fund.
According to Atty. Woah, a transfer of money from a bank to another bank cannot be made possible without the assistance of an insider.
“Remember, if you convict these defendants, you will be prosecuted for the untouchable. They are innocent,” Atty. Woah contended.
For his part, Atty. S. L. Lofen Keaneh, also a defense lawyer, closing the arguments, said Charles lied and deceived the defendants the he has a trust fund called E-Jee Sirleaf at Ecobank.
The case was presided over by judge James N. Gilayeneh. The final judgment is expected to be handed down five days from Monday.
The state was represented by Cllr. J. Daku Mulbah, Cllr. Augustine C. Fayiah, Cllr. Samuel K. Jacobs, Atty. Stephen J. H. Zargo, while the defense team was headed by Atty. David Woah, Atty. Dallama Solunteh and Atty. L. S. Lofen Keaneh.
