A tense confrontation unfolded in Criminal Court ‘C’ on Thursday, November 14, 2024, as the defense team for former senior government officials accused the prosecution of deliberately stalling their trial.
At the center of the dispute is the prosecution’s failure to submit crucial evidence by the deadline set by the court in September.
During Thursday’s hearing, defense counsel, Cllr. Author T. Johnson, sharply criticized the prosecution for not complying with a court order requiring them to submit all relevant evidence to the defense by November 11.
Cllr. Johnson described the delay as “contemptuous” and a violation of the defendants’ constitutional rights, arguing that it undermines their right to a speedy and fair trial.
The trial involves several former senior government officials including ex-finance Minister Samuel D. Tweh, Jr., ex-Justice Minister Nynati Twain, former security to ex-president Weah, and among others.
The ex-senior officials are being accused of multiple crimes including economic sabotage, criminal facilitation, criminal conspiracy, and theft of property.
Cllr. Johnson argued that the prosecution’s failure to provide the necessary evidence had created an unfair trial environment and denied the defense the opportunity to adequately prepare.
“This delay is a blatant violation of our clients’ rights and a deliberate attempt to disrupt the proceedings,” Cllr. Johnson lamented.
He also accused the prosecution of misleading the public by falsely claiming that an Interpol red alert had been issued for one of the accused, Samuel Tweah, in an apparent effort to sway public opinion against the defendants.
The defense also criticized the prosecution for missing two previous court dates, citing excuses such as a training workshop and a separate habeas corpus case.
These reasons were described as insufficient to justify the delay, particularly given the prosecution’s repeated statements that it was ready to move forward with the case.
In his ruling, Judge A. Blamo Dixon did not dismiss the case as requested by the defense but instead granted the prosecution a brief extension to submit the missing evidence.
Meanwhile, the hearing has been rescheduled for Friday, November 15, 2024, at 2:00 PM.
This ongoing trial has garnered significant public attention, with many raising concerns about the transparency and independence of the Liberian judicial system to fairly trial this case.
As the legal proceedings continue, all eyes will be on how the court addresses the defense’s accusations and whether the prosecution will finally fulfill its obligations.
