The Monrovia City Court has reserved ruling on a motion to admit a key piece of video evidence in the ongoing case against Kindness Wilson, second runner-up of Miss Liberia 2022. The footage in question allegedly captures Wilson assaulting Stella Maris University student Jumel Cox, following an online post that mocked Wilson for confusing the Liberian National Anthem with the national pledge.
The video, introduced by Cllr. Moriah Yeakula, legal counsel for complainant Jumel Cox, has already made the rounds on social media and is central to the prosecution’s argument. During Tuesday’s hearing, Cllr. Yeakula urged the court to admit the footage, describing it as critical to establishing the sequence of events on March 31.
However, defense attorney Atty. Jeremiah Samuel Dugbo I strongly objected to the video’s inclusion. He argued that the footage was obtained without the defendant’s knowledge and should therefore be deemed inadmissible. Calling it “self-serving and concocted,” Dugbo petitioned the court to suppress the evidence.
Presiding Judge Ben Barco acknowledged the legal complexity surrounding the motion and announced that he would reserve his ruling. The court is expected to render a decision on the admissibility of the video Thursday at 11:30 a.m.
The case has generated widespread public interest, in part because of Wilson’s prominence as a former national beauty queen who represented Liberia in the Miss Global pageant held in Thailand. It has also sparked broader debates about public conduct, digital scrutiny, and the responsibilities of high-profile individuals in the social media era.
Wilson currently faces charges of simple assault, menacing, and disorderly conduct under the New Penal Law of Liberia. These charges were triggered by a court-issued arrest warrant following the alleged incident.
