M. Welemongai Ciapha, II
Source: FrontPage Africa
Monrovia -
The trial of five former officials of the erstwhile National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL), under the chairmanship of Charles Gyude Bryant is expected to start during the 2010 August Term of court at Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia.
Judicial sources at the Temple of Justice Thursday, told FrontPage Africa that judge A. Blamo Dixon, is expected to preside over the case.
The case which was involving the former Minister of Finance, Lusine F. Kamara, Tugbeh N. Doe, Tapple E. Doe, Pyne Walo and Albert E. N. Quaye, was postponed, when the state filed a petition with the Supreme Court of Liberia for a writ of Certiorari against the trial judge, S. Geevon Smith on grounds the sequestered jurors have been directly or indirectly tampered with.
The Government of Liberia indicted the above mentioned officials of the Ministry of Finance for economic sabotage and criminal conspiracy for allegedly siphoning over US$1million into their personal accounts, thereby, depriving GOL of the needed funds.
Records from the Supreme Court revealed that the case commenced on May 19, 2008, and progressed until prosecution had produced four witnesses.
More besides, another landmark case that claimed the attention of the general public was Chairman Bryant himself, who was indicted by the Liberian Government for misappropriating US$1.3 million, during his two years tenure as head of state.
The prosecution of Mr. Bryant is still lingering in the Chambers of Supreme Court, based on a Bill of Information filed by his legal counsel, Cllr. Theophilus C. Gould, claiming the former head of the NTGL is immune from criminal prosecution.
However, notwithstanding, Mr. Bryant along with Representative Edwin Melvin Snowe, Senator Richard B. Devine, Siaka Sheriff and G. Andy Quime, were trialed on criminal charges of theft of property, economic sabotage and criminal conspiracy and facilitation, but were acquitted by a 12-member empanelled jury in 2009.
