By: Jacqueline L. Dennis
IPNEWS-Monrovia: The lawyer representing Senate Secretary Nanborlor Singbeh, Cllr. Joseph P. Gibson, who had been disqualified by the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) in the US$5M Economic Sabotage and Theft case pending at Criminal Court “C” has filed a motion for dismissal of the case.
Cllr. Gibson filed his request recently at the Criminal Court. The LNBA confirmed that he (Gibson) has not paid for his law license and several other fees, which summed up to US$380 preventing him from the practice of law in any court throughout the country.
The LNBA’s confirmation was made in response to the International Law Group, the law firm that is representing the complainant and British national, Hans Armstrong, who sought US$20 million in damages for Libel, at the Civil Law Court ‘A’ at the Temple of Justice.
However, the law firm requested the LNBA Secretariat to attest, as to whether or not Gibson has paid for his lawyer’s license.
In the LNBA’s reply, dated September 15, and addressed to Cllr. Amara Sheriff, reads, “we, accordingly, have delved into the archive of the Liberia National Bar Association and found the lawyer, referred to as Cllr. Joseph P. Gibson has not paid his 2022 bar due, has not paid his project levy and Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) fees for 2022, and is, therefore, not a licensed lawyer.”
Cllr. Gibson who by law should not have filed a motion for dismissal, or preceding because of his disqualification by the LNBA, argued that the law provides for the dismissal of an action under chapter 18.2 of the criminal procedure law.
He quoted the law by saying “unless a good cause is shown, a court shall dismiss a complaint against a defendant who is not indicted by the end of the next succeeding term, after his arrest for an indictable offense or his appearance in court in response to a summon or notice to appear charging him with such an offense.”
“Unless a good cause is shown, a court shall dismiss an indictment. If the indictment is not tried during the next succeeding term after the findings of the indictment,” Cllr. Gibson argued.
According to Cllr. Gibson, in the case of Singbeh, his indictment was found during the May Term of 2022, by the court, and it was amended during the August Term of 2022.
He further maintained, “that the court is now sitting in its November Term of 2022, more than eight terms have now passed, hence this matter must be dismissed in accordance with the law, and this defendant so pray,” argued Gibson “we contend that in view of the law, hereinabove, this matter is for subject for dismissal.”
Lawyer representing the two Czech Republic nationals, Martin Miloschewsky and Pavel Miloschewsky are yet to respond to Gibson’s request.
It can be recalled that the Secretary of Senate Nanborlor F. Singbeh and several others including former National Investment Commission (NIC) Executive Director George W. Wisner were ordered arrested by the Criminal Court “C” following their indictment for Economic Sabotage and multiple charges.
The defendants face charges of Economic Sabotage, Theft of Property, Forgery and Criminal Conspiracy.
British national Hans Armstrong has been the Attorney-In-Fact of two Czech brothers at the rock crushing company that was situated in Margibi County.
Martin and Pavel Miloschewsky had complained that they were seeking to establish a rock crushing company in Liberia, alleging that defendant Singbeh assured them that he would have made that possible with a precondition that he gets 30 percent share while the Czech investors hold 70 percent share.
Based on their alleged discussions, the complainants claimed that they transferred US$2,495,109 and US$102,000 respectively in accounts the accused created at two different private banks here.
They however alleged that without their knowledge, Singbeh allegedly withdrew all the money from the two accounts and additionally sold trucks and other equipment intended for the investment. They two brothers lament that they sustained a total loss of US$5,062,419, on account of the alleged equipment that Singbeh sold plus the cash he allegedly withdrew from the two accounts.
