Indictees Of L$16 Billion Case Want Separate Trial

By R. Joyclyn Wea

Four of the five indicted officials of the Central Bank of Liberia are pleading with Judge Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay of Criminal Court “C” to be tried separately from co-defendant Milton Weeks, Former Executive Governor of the CBL.

Milton Weeks, Charles Sirleaf, Dorbor Hagba, Richards Walker, and Joseph Dennis are currently facing criminal prosecution at Criminal Court “C” after being indicted by the George Weah  led government for economic sabotage, criminal conspiracy, criminal solicitation, and money laundering.

The defendants call for severance or separate trial is pursuant to the Justice in Chamber recent mandate to the lower Court to resume jurisdiction over the case and proceed with a trial DE NOVO especially on Charles Sirleaf, Dorbor Hagba, Richards Walker, and Joseph Dennis.

This means that the lower Court should start the trial of Charles Sirleaf, Dorbor Hagba, Richards Walker, and Joseph Dennis at fresh.

Justice Yussif Kaba’s mandate grew out of a certiorari proceeding following Criminal Court “C” decision denying prosecution request to freeze the indicted CBL executives asserts.

The four defendants through their lawyers informed the Court on March 31, 2020 that their request for severance or separate trial is due to the fact that the Supreme Court is yet to come down with any mandate on their boss Milton Weeks and the matter is being prolonged.

Judge Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay has declined to pass on the submission for severance as prayed for by the four defendant counsels.

According to Judge Gbeisay, he cannot pass on the quest for severance on grounds that prosecution prayer for continuance of trial in this case was not interposed or objected to by defendant lawyers.

The court had further postponed the trial in the L$16billion case to the May 2020 Term of court at which time it will made determination as to whether to deny or grand the submission of separate trial requested by the four defendants.

The postponement of the matter to May 2020 Term of Court was based on a two week continuance prayed for by Government lawyer to produce evidence relevant to the proceeding of the case.