Monrovia- Criminal Court ‘C’ Judge Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay has granted indicted former Central Bank of Liberia(CBL) officials request for speedy trial.
Judge Gbeisay made decision on Thursday, June 18, 2020.
However, Gbeisay has has placed the trial of the indicted ex-CBL officials on the Court’s (Criminal Court C) docket for the May Term of Court.
“The counsels in this case having interposed no objection to the motion filed by the counsel of co-defendant Milton Weeks for the advancement of the case on the docket of the May Term A.D. 2020, said motion is hereby granted.”
He continues:” in view of the forgoing, the Clerk of this court is hereby ordered to place the case on the docket of the May Term of Court.”
Judge Gbeisay ruling grew out of a motion filed to the court(Criminal Court C) by defendant Milton A. Weeks, requesting the court for speedy trial.
In the motion title:” Motion for the Advancement of the Case on the Court’s Docket”, defendant Weeks argued that since he was indicted, there has been no serious effort by the State to trial the case.
Weeks also argued that the conduct of the State to repeadly indict, arrest and seek his detention on the same allegations and related charges without trial violates his dignity and right to speedy trial.
However, during the hearing of the motion, State lawyers argued that the court cannot grant defendant Weeks alone speedy trial as he was indcited along with other defendants.
Prosecution requested the court to deny the application filed by of defendant Weeks.
Following the hearing of the motion, Judge Gbeisay cited all parties involved in the case to a conference on Thursday, June 18 to further asscertain their position (parties) on the motion.
During the conference, all the parties( State lawyers and the defendants lawyers) agreed that the case be placed on the court docket for the May Term of Court.
” At this stage, counsel for co-defendants Dorbor Hagba, Richard Walker and Joseph Dennis interposed no objection to the advancement of this case on the docket of the May Term. Also counsel for co-defendants defendants David Farhart, Elsie Dossen Badio and Kollie Tamba says that they interpose no objection to the advancement of the case on the docket. Prosecution at this stage interposes no objection to the motion filed by the defendant s to advance the case on the docket of the May Term,” the parties agreed.
Base on the agreement, the case has now been placed on the court’s docket for trial during the May Term of Court.
However, the defendants were indicted by the grand jury of Montserrado County on June 8, 2020.
They are charged with the commission of the crimes of Economic Sabotage, Fraud on the Internal Revenue, Misuse of Public Money, Property or Records among others.
The charges were brought against the indicted ex-CBL officials by the State for their alleged connection to the missing L$16billion saga.