By: Jacqueline Lucia Dennis
IPNEWS-Monrovia: The Final argument into the alleged US$100 million Cocaine case lasted for nearly two months is now set for argument at the Criminal Court ” C” at the Temple of Justice before Judge Blamo Dixon.
Members of the jury is expected to hand down their verdict of guilty or not guilty after listening to the final arguments between prosecution and defense.
It can be recalled that defendants Malam Conte, Adulau Djibri Djalo, Makki Admeh, and liver A. Zayzay standing trial were indicated by the grand juror for Montserrado for the alleged crime of Money Laundering, Unlicensed Possession of controlled Drugs Unlicensed important of Controlled Drugs Criminal Conspiracy. Final argument is where both the prosecution and defense will argue its own side of the case to the members of the panel and after that Judge Dixon should charge them before going into the room of deliberation with all of the evidence produced in court by the prosecution and defense, and after that they should return to court with their verdict.
The prosecution lawyer will give its side of the case to convince the jury to hand down a verdict of guilty in favor of the state. But has the state products its case beyond all reasonable doubt, after all the burden of proof rest on the prosecution.
However, the judges of fact will give their verdict after a careful look at evidence produced in court by the prosecution and defense. While the defense team will also argue its side of the case to the jury to hand down a not guilty verdict in favor of the defendants which they believe the defendants had been charged falsely by the State.
At the start of the trial, the defendants pleaded not guilty after the indictment was read by the clerk of the court to them which led to the selection of jurors.
On February 20, 2023, during the selection of jurors, several prospective jurors’ numbers were called by the jury management team, but many were not present and those who were present were examined by both prosecution and defense. Many of them turned the court down after being selected to serve but claimed that they had other problems.
On February 20, 2023, eight prospective Jurors were selected and sequestrated until the panel can be completed with seven others, the following week the penal was completed.
However, prior to the selection of Jurors the defense team 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 to make them stand trial and that application was granted by Judge Dixon.
During the hearing the prosecution produced six (6) general witnesses and three (3) rebuttal witnesses while the defense produced one (1) general witness and four subpoena witnesses.
One on the subpoenaed witnesses for the defense believed to be the president of the Custom Brokers Association of Liberia, James Hinneh testified among other things informed court that the National Port Authority (NPA) did not issue TRH Trading any import permit declaration to clear the cocaine container from the Free Port of Monrovia, surprisingly the container left the port without being searched.
While defense General witness Malam Conte who testified on behalf of the rest of the defendants claimed that he was tortured by the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LNDA) while several nights at the LDEA he was forced to sign papers and why at the Liberia National Police he was made to sign statement without a Lawyers representing him, He believes that his right was violated by the police.
