IPNEWS: The Civil Law Court “B” at the Temple of Justice has ordered the detention at the Monrovia Central Prison of a Bailiff Arthur C. Morris for 10 days for interfering with the Jury in open court during the trial. Before he was incarcerated, he was disrobed.
Judge Yamie Gbeisay on Thursday, September 15, 2022, also mandated the disbarment of the jury in the case because they lack independence. Judge Gbeisay in his ruling stated, “In the case involving the Modern Development Management Corporation (MDMC) thru its Managing Director, John S Youboty and Musa Kamara and Netty Nyanneh of the Township of Johnsonville 16.5 acres of land, Judge Gbeisay fined Jury Rita F. Boakai US$100 to be paid into the government revenue and receipt be brought to the Sheriff of the court. The Judge ordered that should she fail to make said payment; the clerk is ordered to issue a writ of arrest and have her detained at the Monrovia Central Prison until said amount is paid.
Jurors who were interfered with included Silas S. Frazier, Sereplona L. Fayiah, Jostina Topaye, Rita F. Boakai, Princess K. Slocen, Henry P. Cleyeh, Florence Crayton, P. Josephine N. Gonkpala and Joseph Dickserl.
Judge Gbeisay described the bailiff and jurors’ behavior as an embarrassment, and which has the propensity to prejudice the trial. He added: “This court was left with no alternative, but to disband the entire jury and a new trial awarded under a separate jury during another term of court.”
The case involves an action of ejectment, which was filed by MDMC. It commenced with the participation of a special jury and progressed for 12 days. The Court indicated that both sides rested evidence and submitted their respective sides to the court for final argument.
On the eve of said argument, Bailiff Arthur C. Morris allegedly overheard the forelady of the trial jury and the secretary of the trial jury discussing the case in the open and he alarmed in an effort to quiet the two jurors.
The court further stated that the forelady argued that they were not discussing the case. The court charged that during the forelady and other person’s argument, counsels for the defendants, Cllr. Swaliho Sesay, overhead the argument and therefore filed a complaint against the forelady and other jurors contending that they have conducted themselves constantly and continually contrary to the rule governing jury service.
“The trial was aborted, and the investigation convicted in the juror’s chambers. The investigation further revealed that the forelady had opened a social media chatroom where all the trial jurors are registered therein and that in that chatroom, they have been discussing the case. It was established that she admitted during the investigation that they came into in the chatroom to chat about whatever they did not understand during the trial. By Jacqueline Dennis
