Monrovia – Defendant Charles Akoalisa walked out of the Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice back to the Monrovia Central Prison Thursday with face covered as the court adjudged him guilty of unlicensed importation of controlled drugs substances.
Report by Kennedy L. Yangian – [email protected]
A month ago, a 12-member juror of the court brought down guilty until Thursday when the court endorsed the guilty verdict against him.
“We the trial jurors having carefully listened to the case and the evidenced adduced do unanimously adjudged the defendant Charles Akoalisa guilty,” said the jurors’ verdict to the court.
Defendant Akoalisa and three other defendants were arraigned before the court during the November 2016 Term of Court after been indicted by the Grand Jury of Montserrado County for unlicensed importation of controlled drug substances, unlicensed sale, administration, trading, dispensation, delivery, distribution, dispatch in transit and transportation of controlled drugs and substance
He and two other defendants on trial first pleaded not guilty when the clerk of the court read the indictment against them but mid-way during the trial, he somersaulted and pleaded guilty to the charges claiming that the two other defendants – a male and female – had no link to the crimes.
“I, defendant Charles Akoalisa, have decided to change my plea of not guilty to guilty,” said the defendant.
Based on his revelation, prosecution lawyer Cllr. Jerry Garlawolo prayed the court to have the two other defendants, Unche Ude and Comfort Wleh freed, indicating that the prosecution doesn’t have any evidence against the two, a decision the court endorsed.
But in his final ruling in the case, Judge Yarmie Gbeisay, stated that from the above facts and circumstances and the law applicable, the court was left with no alternative but to confirm and affirm the unanimous verdict of the trial jury to the effect that defendant Charles Akoalisa is guilty of the crimes indicated.
“In obedience to Chapter 31.5 of the Criminal Procedure Law, the clerk of this court is hereby instructed to communicate with the Probation Service of Montserrado County to conduct a pre- sentence investigation of the defendant within seven days and file its report to this court to enable the court to sentence defendant Charles Akoalisa accordingly,” said Judge Gbeisay.
Court record showed that defendant Akoalisa has been indicted based on complaint from officers of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
The DEA officers alleged that on June 30, 2015 acting upon intelligence a package bearing air will no. 5506690814 was shipped from Kampala, Uganda to Liberia via the DHL in the name of Comfort Weh and that the package contains assorted hairs, hairs accessories and a 484.4 grams of Heroin concealed in 28 packages of UV whitening cream valued at US$14,532.00 or its equivalent of LD$1, 220,688.00.
The indictment stated that during investigation into the drug scandal, it was established that the drug was brought into the country with the knowledge of Charles Akoalisa who sought the help of two employees of the DHL, Gabriel Doe and Adndrew Neh to have the drugs entered the country.
According to the indictment, the act of the defendant was contrary to chapter 14 section 14.103 of the controlled drugs and substance act of 2014 of the new penal law of Liberia.