–As Jury Hands Down “Not-Guilty Verdict”

By Jacqueline Lucia Dennis

Trial jurors at Criminal Court “C” on Thursday, May 18, 2023, handed down a unanimous not guilty verdict against the four defendants, Malam Conte, Adulai Djibri Djalo, Makki Admeh Issam and Oliver A. Zayzay.

following the jurors’ verdict in the US$100 million cocaine case, Judge Blamo Dixon immediately ordered the prosecution to return the defendants’ US$210,000 that was siezed from them by operatives of the Liberian government.

Before the verdict had been rendered, in counter argument with the defense, prosecution argued that they proofed beyond all reasonable doubts that the accused were guilty.

Prosecution claimed that all of their witnesses’ testimonies were corroborated and called on the jurors to hand down a guilty verdict against the four defendants Malam Conte, Adulai Djibri Djalo, Makki Admeh Issam and Oliver A. Zayzay.

Prosecution also indicated in their argument that six witnesses were produced with evidence to link the defendants of committing the crime.

Prosecution also said during the case 6 instruments were brought forth as pieces of evidence to the court.

While the defense team counter-argued and called on the jurors to hand down a not guilty verdict

The defense further argued that the government of Liberia falsely linked the defendants to the crime so for that reason the jury should look at all of their pieces of evidence that were brought to court and hand down a not guilty verdict.

“Free these people base on evidence; the was know evidence to link the defendants. The entire case rested on the statement form Malam Conte.”

Defense claimed that the government had allowed the main people to go and they brought in “innocent people to court.”

The defense further stressed and requested the court to tell the government through the prosecution to return their clients’ US$210,000.

INDICTMENT

Indictment of the men by the Grand Jury of Montserrado also noted that the act of the defendants is contrary to Section 15.2 of the Money Laundering Act.

The four defendants and others to be identified, who are linked to the recent US$100 million cocaine have been indicted by the Grand Jury of Montserrado County on charges of money laundering, unlicensed possession and importation of controlled drugs, and criminal conspiracy.

Defendants Malam Conte, Adulai Djibri Djalo, Makki Admeh Issam and Oliver A. Zayzay and others to be identified were indicted 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

The four counts in the indictment noted that Conte, Djalo, Issam, Zayzay, and others to be identified, conspired, colluded, and facilitated to commit the crime of Money Laundering, which is a felony of the first degree, and the unlicensed importation of controlled drug or substance.

The others are unlicensed possession of controlled drugs or substances which are also felonies of the first degree and criminal conspiracy, a felony of second Degree.

The indictment also noted that the act of the defendants is contrary to Section 15.2 of the Money Laundering Act, 2.2(b) of the Penal Law of Liberia, and against the peace and dignity of Liberia.

However, the indictment states that the acts of the Defendants are contrary to Section 14.102 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act 2014 and 2.2(b) of the Penal Law of Liberia as well as against the peace and dignity of Liberia.

In the same vein, the indictment noted that the defendant’s acts are contrary to Sections 107 and 111 of the Controlled Drugs and Substance Acts 2014 and 2.2(b)of the Penal Law of Liberia, and they also hindered 4LCLR Title 26, Section 10.4 (1)(2)(3)(4)(5) and 4LCLR, Title 26, Section 2.2(b) of the Penal Law of Liberia and against the peace and dignity of Liberia.

They are expected to appear before the First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Court “C” for Montserrado, in its November Term, to answer to charges brought against them Last year.

However, the US$100million cocaine the case initially derived on Saturday, October 1, 2022, in which one Oliver Zayzay, a Liberian national, and some of his foreign associates were arrested after seeking to purchase a shipping container full of fresh frozen pig feet from a refrigerated storage facility in Monrovia.

The defendants had initially offered to pay the owners of the container, AJA Group Holdings, the sum of US$200,000 for the entire container that cost less than US$30,000. But when the defendants, within less than eight hours, doubled their offer to US$400,000 and finally to US$1 million, AJA Group said they were certain that Zayzay and his associates were dealing with a serious case of narcotics trafficking.

The company said they contacted the United States Ambassador, a move that brought both the American and Liberian anti-narcotics law enforcement agents into the picture and caught the suspects red-handed

Defendant Issam, and co-defendants Djalo and Zayzay, were turned over to the government on October 6, through Lorenzo Pehlam, Deputy Director for Operations, Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) for allegedly trafficking drugs between the Liberian and Sierra Leonean borders as well as money laundering and criminal conspiracy.

The Government of Sierra Leone arrested and turned over the three men who were allegedly involved in the shipment of five hundred and twenty kilogram (520kg) of cocaine valued at one hundred million United States dollars (USD 100m).

On October 1,the defendant concealed 29 cartons of cocaine among cartons of pig feet labeled with Allegra foods, which was seized at the SONIT Liberia Incorporated compound, Topoe’s village, Japan Freeway, Montserrado County.

During investigation, police indicated that it was also established that on October 1, Co-defendant Issam, believe to be a Lebanese man was seen at the Fresh Frozen Food Company located at Bong Mines Pier with Defendant Conte, negotiating for the purchase of the container marked MNBU4070592 on behalf of Malam Conte and Adulai Djibri Djalo.

Defendant Issam accordingly escaped upon the arrest of co-defendant Conte and subsequently fled to neighboring Sierra Leone along with Co-defendants Zayzay and Djalo..