Monrovia – Judge Emery Paye of the Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice has given a week of medical leave to indicted House Speaker Alex Tyler to seek treatment abroad.
Report by Kennedy L. Yangian [email protected]
The court’s decision Monday was based on Speaker Tyler’s request made through a written communication to the court to seek medical treatment abroad.
“The recused Speaker informed your honor and this honorable court of his medical condition and request that he be granted two weeks to seek medical treatment abroad,” stated the letter written on behalf of the Speaker by his legal counsel Cllr. Johnny Momo.
The court in its response to the Speaker’s communication, under the signature of the Clerk of the Court, Knowles Shain, stated: “His honor Emery Paye, assigned Circuit Judge of the Criminal Court “C” has ordered me to inform you that your request to the court seeking permission for co-defendant Alex Tyler to travel abroad for medical treatment is hereby granted and he is given up to September 20, 2016 to return to Liberia.”
Similar leave was also granted indicted Grand Cape Mount Senator Varney Sherman, who had requested the court to travel to the United States to celebrate his wife’s birthday.
The court has granted Senator Sherman a leave to travel to the United States but advised that he returns to the country on or before the end of September 2016.
This is the second leave granted House Speaker Tyler to seek medical treatment abroad since he recused himself from presiding over plenary on September 1st 2016, based on call from his colleagues to do same due to his indictment by the state on multiple criminal offences.
Last week, his colleagues in House of Representatives also reached the decision to grant him six weeks leave to seek medical treatment abroad after he requested that body.
Both Speaker Tyler and Grand Cape Mount Senator Varney Sherman have been indicted by the state on May 24, 2016 for bribery, economic sabotage, criminal conspiracy, facilitation and solicitation.
The lawmakers’ indictment have stemmed from a London-based watchdog Global Witness, whose report on Liberia claimed that the lawmakers received bribes in the amount of US$950, 000 to change the Public Procurement and Concession Commission Act (PPCC) in favor of a British Company Sable Mining to mine the Wologisi Mountain in Lofa County.
Though the two lawmakers, who are out of jail on a criminal appearance bond, have denied the charges against them, but Chief Prosecutor Cllr. Daku Mulbah told FrontPageAfrica recently that the state was in possession of enough evidence to prove its case against the defendants amid reports in some quarters that the trial of the House Speaker and others was being delayed due to lack of evidence against the accused.
“I am not looking for evidence, I already have enough evidence in my possession and that will be made known when the trial starts,” said Cllr. Mulbah who is also the County Attorney of Montserrado County. He failed to state when the landmark trial will resume.