IPNEWS: Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Willie is expected to continue with the hearing in the alleged murder case involving a former Executive Protective Service (EPS) Officer Patrick Kollie. Kollie, now disrobed from the presidential guard, is currently behind bars at the Monrovia Central Prison. He is alleged to have shot Valentine Johnson (deceased), who was on a bike, sometime in July of this year.
The case was assigned for this November Term of court on Wednesday, November 23, 2023. The prosecution requested the court to arraign Defendant Kollie in the dock so as to ascertain his plea, and the clerk of the court was ordered by Judge Willie to read the indictment to the defendant in the dock so as to ascertain his plea. Having read the indictment as per the Judge’s order, Defendant Kollie pleaded not guilty to the crime of murder.
The state was represented by Cllr. Wesseh A. Wesseh, Assistant Minister for Litigation, the Ministry of Justice; while the defense was represented by Cllr. Jimmy Saah Bombo and Atty. Augustine Tamba of the Center Law Office.
The prosecution requested the court to mandate the Sheriff to advance names of prospective jurors so that they could be screened or examined before they be allowed to serve as jurors for the case.
Following the screening, 15 persons were selected to sit on the Jury panel for the trial. They included Rosetta S. Anthony, who shall serve as Forelady and Alama Massaley shall serve as secretary. Others are Faith L. Haddad, Daniece S. Simpson, Nathaleen F. Beah, Shina Courage Bolley, Prince Shakai, Borris N. Leeway, Tina N. Mayson, Emmanuel N. Yoko, Maunta S. Johnson, Agnes T. Piah, Alvin B. Brown, Beatrice M. Sharity and James T. Weah.
However, while the names of prospective jurors where called by representative of the Jury Management to undergo screening, it was noticed that two prospective jurors — Marcus Ford works at the Ministry of Public Works bearing ID# J30-6503, and Papie Paul works at the Ministry of Gender, as Administrative Assistant bearing ID# 730-641 — were not in court after they had been trained by the Jury Management Team and sent to the court for jury services.
Judge Willie ordered the Clerk of the court to do a Writ of Arrest and place it in the hand of the Sheriff to have the prospective jurors Ford and Paul to be arrested and be brought to the court for contempt to show cause, why they did not appear in court for jury services.
It can be recorded in July 2022, former EPS Office Patrick Kollie was arrested by the Liberia National Police for his alleged involvement in connection to a firearm shooting incident. The discharge of the firearm allegedly led to the death of a man identified as Valentine Johnson.
Defendant Kollie was indicted by the Grand Jurors for Montserrado County for the alleged crime of murder.
The indictment said that after Defendant Kollie realized that he had wrongfully shot Johnson, he got in his vehicle and speedily left the crime scene and when towards the SKD Boulevard, passing through Police Academy.
The indictment further stated that Defendant Patrick Kollie’s action clearly shows that he was in frequent violation of rules 4, part of which obliges the firearm carrier to beware of the target and what is beyond the target in case of willful discharge of the weapon. By Jacqueline L. Dennis
