By R. Joyclyn Wea
The Judge of Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice is expected to hand down judgment into a motion to dismiss the indictment against ex-Managing Director of the National Port, Matilda Parker.
It can be recalled, that the Lawyer representing the legal interest of defendant Parker’s filed a motion with the court seeking to dismiss the indictment against his client former Managing Director of NPA on grounds that she Parker was acting upon an order of former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
The motion to dismiss the indictment grows out of an indictment filed by the Liberian Government against the former NPA Managing Director Matilda Parker and her Comptroller Christiana Paelay in 2016 for action of criminal mischief, thief of property among others.
Since this indictment by government, the court had not come down with any verdict into the matter as the defendants continue to pray for speedy trial.
During last Thursday, September 21, 2018 legal arguments in Criminal Court “C”, defendant counsel, Cllr. Arthur Johnson prayed the court to dismiss the indictment before it contending that his client was acting upon order of former Liberian Head of States, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
“Since she was acting on the order of the president; such presidential humility should be accorded her,” adding that “the president has the humility power; once there is a crime committed that person cannot go to face trial.”
In resisting the defendants’ argument, one of counsels for prosecution contested that such humility does not apply to any clients or workers of the president but rather accorded to only the president.
“Humility is accorded only to the president and not her ancient or people working under her,” defendant counsel, saying at no time Parker’s serves in any presidential elected position to have warrant said right.”
Prosecution further that humility only applied to sitting president and not former leader.
Prosecution counsel in resisting the defendant motion bewailed “if Ellen Johnson Sirleaf should have committed crime why she was president, she cannot be prosecuted but now that she is no-longer president; if she commit a crime, she can be bought to court for said crime level against her.”
Haven’t listen to arguments from both parties in these proceedings, the court reserved ruling for September 25, 2018 but, unfortunately, the court through its clerk, announced in court that it cannot deliver judgment into the matter as was previously announced to the parties.
Though the clerk did not state any further reason for this cancellation, he reset today, September 26, 2017 as new date to hand down ruling into the motion to dismiss the indictment.
Meanwhile, Parker cannot travel out of the country as her document is currently in possession of the government until the matter can be lain to rest.
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