Monrovia – Michael Samukai, son of the Minister of Defense, Brownie Samukai, currently on trial for the shooting incident at the Tropicana Beach says that he did not shoot anyone at the beach.
Report by Kenned L. Yangian [email protected]
The younger Samukai was investigated and forwarded to court after the shooting incident on September 13, 2016 on charges of criminal attempt to commit murder, aggravated assault and illegal possession of firearm.
Investigators have alleged that Samukai carried out the alleged shooting and wounded the victim identified as Zardee Andrews on his neck after suspecting him of having extra marital affairs with his wife, Charlotte Samukai.
But the defendant told the jury on Tuesday that he did not shoot victim Zardee as alleged by the Police .
He said he had suspected the victim of having extra marital affairs with his wife from phone calls and text messages sent to her to meet and have lunch.
“When I saw the action, I informed Charlotte’s mother and aunt of the alleged relationship between the two of them but Charlotte told me that she was in relationship with Zardee and has since in 2012 cut off the relationship,” he said.
He continued that on September 13, 2016 while en route to Duport Road to see his son, he received a call from a friend (name withheld) who told him of his wife being present on the beach celebrating her birthday with some friends and he decided to proceed there.
In his general testimony made in his own defense, Samukai said that when he got at the beach, he met the victim sitting near his wife and he photographed both of them and later asked Zardee whether he knew Charlotte was his wife. He said the victim responded by saying: “Who are you?”
He stated that thereafter, Zardee followed and attacked him and in the process, his coat opened and the victim observed that he had gun and he (Zardee) decided to go for it, leading to a tussle which lead to a shot being fired and the victim got wounded.
He said when he observed the victim was wounded; he proceeded to the police station and reported the matter to the current Inspector General of the LNP, Gregory Coleman who instructed him to hand the gun to the officer on duty.
Samukai, who introduced himself as an agent of the National Security Agency (NSA) assigned at the Freeport of Monrovia, stated that the gun was authorized by the NSA to be used after armed robbers attacked his home in 2014 and series of other attacks he experienced while on operations on behalf of the NSA.
After the firing incident at the beach and Zardee was taken to the hospital, the defendant said that he was always concerned about the victim but effort by his family members to reconcile the matter was spurned by the victim who asked that it be taken to court.
Following Samukai’s testimony, his lawyer Atty. Debbley requested the court to have the Director of the NSA come to court and confirm whether it was the entity that grants the defendant permission to use the gun.
Judge Roosevelt Willie endorsed the request and ordered the Clerk to have the NSA boss summoned to appear at the Criminal Court “A” on Thursday, March 2, 2017 to provide the clarity.