In an effort to fully try several individuals including some foreign nationals indicted for smuggling into Liberia a consignment of cocaine valued at US$100 million, Criminal Court ‘C’ at the Temple of Justice is seeking the assistance of the Embassy of the United States of America in Monrovia to aid the court with two interpreters/translators to translate from Portuguese and Arabic languages to English and vice versa.
On Monday, Judge A. Blamo Dixon ordered the Clerk of the Court to prevail on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah to forward a diplomatic note to the Embassy of the United States of America for said assistance.
At the same time, Judge Dixon has called on the Public and the Defendants by and thru their lawyers to scout for interpreters/translators to interpret from Portuguese language to Arabic language and to English language and vice versa.
It can be recalled last week, defense lawyers requested the Court for interpreters in both Portuguese and Arabic as some of the defendants could not speak or understand English.
The defense lawyers requested the court to grant an opportunity for the defendants in persons of Malam Conte and Makki Ahmed Issam who are not English speakers to have an interpreter so as to make them stand trial.
The defendants’ lawyers added in order for them to be afforded an opportunity to intelligently follow the proceeding in the court; the court should order the engagement of two interpreters, one for the Portuguese language and the second for Arabic language.
The defense team noted that their request is supported by law as provided for in “chapter 21, section 21.4 of the civil procedure law and also applicable in the Criminal proceedings.”
According to them, the request is made in good faith for the purpose of ensuring that the defendants are accorded equal protection of the law and are treated equally before the law.
Based on the request made by the defense team, Judge Dixon immediately granted the request.
Meanwhile, the prosecution immediately requested court for jury selection and after the selection process, they (jurors) should be sequestered to sit on this proceedings and thereafter make the determination of the case.
The prosecution indicated that its application is premised on the law of jury sequestration and it is not intended to delay or baffle these proceedings.
Based on that request by the prosecution, it was granted by the court. The clerk was mandated to address a communication to the Court Administrator of the Supreme Court of Liberia to inform her that the prosecution in these proceedings has requested the court for jury sequestration.
Judge Dixon said: “To put in proper perspective, the appropriate mechanism to facilitate the jury sequestration and also to provide a bus that will enable the prospective jurors to go to their respective residence to collect their personal effects and belongings that they will use on the premises of the Temple of Justice while been sequestrated; and also the said bus shall commute the jurors from the jurors quarter to the courtroom on daily basis, pending the conclusion of the case.”
