By R. Joyclyn Wea
Indictees in the sable mining bribery saga are pleading with Criminal Court “C” to subpoena the publishers of some local dallies and others seeking to compel them to appear in court in connection with the case at the Temple of Justice.
Defendants Varney Sherman, Ex-Speaker, Alex Tyler, along with six (6) others are facing criminal prosecution for allegedly receiving over US$900,000.00 (United Dollars) bribe from executive of Sable Mining Company so as to amend the PPCC and concessions law of Liberia in favor of the company.
The court confirmed Friday, December 14, 2018 that the indictees legal team led by Cllr. Moses Peagar had filed an application with that honorable court seeking the appearance of these publishers to include: FrontPage Africa, Women Voices Newspaper, Global News Network in Liberia, and Truth FM/TV as well as some present and past officials of the government of Liberia.
The indictees application to the court is seeking evidence from these media executives that are said to be vital in establishing their innocent in relations to their bribery case currently before Criminal Court “C”.
They are further calling on these media outlets to produce publication in their respective dallies.
The defendants hold that the application de-subpoena file with the court against the news entities does not in any way intend to delay the disposition of business but instead intended to ensure that they (defendants) enjoy their rights to undeterred, free, and fair trial and their constitutional and statutory rights to present evidences.
This is to also ensure defendants have compulsory processes in their favor to compel the attendance of witnesses and to produce documentary evidence in their behavior are upheld and enjoyed by them.
The application mentioned “That a Subpoena Duces Tetum should be served on the publisher of the FrontPage Africa, to present the Wednesday, February 21, 2018, edition Vol. 12 No. 35 of the Aforesaid FrontPage Newspaper, which carried the FrontPage article entitled “We change the law, not Sherman,” which is a report on the testimony of Clayton Miller, Deputy Minister for Planning at the Ministry of Mines and Energy and Emmanuel Sherman, Deputy Minister for operations MME.”
“That the Women Voices Newspaper present its Monday, February 19, 2018 Vol. 6 No. 197 which carried the article entitled “Global Witness Indictees Exonerated” which is a report of the testimonies of Clayton Miller, Deputy Minister for Planning at the Ministry of Mines and Energy and Emmanuel Sherman, Deputy Minister for Operations MME.”
Aaccordingly; defendants concluded “The testimonies of the persons for whom subpoena AU Testificadum has been applied for and the documents for which subpoena AU Testificadum have also been applied are relevant and are absolutely important to the defense which defendants’ intend to interpose and defendants submitted; that they have a constitutional and statutory rights to de-subpoena.” TNR
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