IPNEWS-Monrovia: The media report that State prosecutors have made an amendment in an indictment brought against four persons currently facing trial for the alleged shipment of a huge quantity of cocaine valued US$100 million.
The amendment, according to court sources, is intended to confirm the evidence in the possession of prosecution.
Prosecution amended paragraph one (1) of the indictment ‘Money Laundering’, which among other things, says that the amount of US$200,000 and US$113,045 respectively was confiscated from one of the defendants, Malam Conte.
After the amendment, the defendants waved their rights to jury trial and opted for a bench trial.
Judge A. Blamo Dixon of Criminal Court ‘C’, however, reassigned the case to Thursday, December 29, 2022 at 10:00 am.
It can be recalled that on last week, the defendants, including a foreign national (Portuguese), along with three other men accused of smuggling into the country five hundred twenty kilograms (520kgs) of cocaine valued US$100,000,000 (One Hundred Million United States Dollars), pleaded not guilty to the criminal charge levied against them by the Government of Liberia.
The indictments among other things stated that the defendants on October 1, 2022 concealed in twenty eight (28) cartoons of pig feet labeled with Alegra foods which was seized at the SONIT Liberia Incorporated Compound, Topoe Village, and Japanese Freeway in Montserrado County.
The indictments charged the defendants with Unlicensed Importation of Controlled Drugs, Money Laundering, Drugs Trafficking, Criminal Facilitation, and Conspiracy.
During the hearing on the reading of their indictments, lawyers of the defendants asked Criminal Court ‘C’ to block evidence which the State Prosecutors depend on to prosecute the defendants.
One of counsels for co-defendant Oliver A. Zayzay, Cllr. James N. Kumeh, requested the court to deny prosecution application to produce additional evidence, such as CCTV video footages, telephones, and other pictorial evidence, nothing that during last sitting the court ordered the Ministry of Justice to furnish all of the exhibits that they relied on to prosecute the defendants to the defense team within a period of twenty-four (24) hours.
The lawyer said for the Ministry to come to court and produce the evidence in differently, informing the court that in subsequent time before trial commences, they will produce CCTV footages, phones and other exhibits that they relied on, is a mockery to the court, in that the said Ministry was mandated to furnish the defense team with all of the exhibits long time ago.
The lawyer intimated that since the State prosecutors have breached the 24hrs mandate that was given to them, they should be stopped from further producing any exhibits as they have gone contrary to the mandate of the court to produce the exhibits within 24hrs.
Cllr. Kumeh further stated that for the prosecution to insinuate to the court that because Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) Deputy Governor, Nyemadi Pearson, is out of the bailiwick of Liberia and as such they can’t honor the Court’s mandate until Madam Pearson returns to the country, is a clear indication that the attempt of prosecution is to baffle and delay these proceedings.
Cllr. Kumeh said the CBL as an institution has competent staff and that in the absence of Pearson, her deputy should act in her steed, and obey any mandate emanating from the court.
Meanwhile, Criminal Court ‘C’, Judge Blamo Dixon, declined to grant the request of the Defense Counsel, who opted to block the State from producing additional evidence.
Judge Dixon said discovery of evidence is a process, and under the law the burden of proof rests on the prosecution.
The Judge said prosecution notice on record that it shall produce additional evidence when it has already produced and submitted initial pieces of evidence to the defense team, same is here granted. Courtesy: FPA
