Monrovia – FrontPageAfrica has reliably learned that prominent citizens of Lofa, Nimba, and others from the south East in the Diaspora, as well as some Liberian business persons have contributed and have been able to raise nearly USD$182,000 and presented same to the Friends of Lofa County-Senator-Elect Brownie J. Samukai.
The amount should represent the former defense minister’s share of 50% required by the court (USD$191,276.05).
FrontPageAfrica reported Monday the former Defense Minister’s fate, along with his two colleagues, which was read-out in the mandate of the Supreme Court on February 24, 2021.
The matter arose from the verdict of the Supreme Court in the earlier criminal case against the above-named persons, now hingers on whether Senator-elect Samukai will pay his 50% share of USD383,552.10, which is equivalent to USD$191,276.05 before or by the end of the deadline on 25 August, 2021. Everyone is watching whether Samukai and his supporters will meet up with this time-bound mandate to pay.
Even before the opening of the August Term of Criminal Court “C”, and without taking his seat, the new Judge ………, has already made a political brouhaha on Samukai’s head.
The new Judge of Criminal Court “C” not waiting for any of the party litigants to file any BOI or query to the court, took upon himself and ordered the Clerk of Court of Criminal Court “C” on 5 August 2021 to issue Notice of Assignment for Samukai and his colleagues along with their lawyers to appear before him on August 26th 2021 at 11:00a.m. for what he called Post Trial Conference. Our investigation shows that both the Government prosecuting lawyers and lawyers for defendant Samukai have denied filing anything to this Judge and to Criminal Court “C” to raise this issue of a posttrial conference. The new Judge of Criminal Court “C” seem to be in a desperate hurry to become famous by such pre-emptive action. It raises the question about the true intent of the Judge, whose action may be interpreted as continuation of targeted political witch-hunt against the Lofa County Senator-elect.
Now FPA has learned that a major meeting of the Friends of Samukai is currently taking place in Monrovia to strategize moving forward.
Multiple sources confirmed to FPA that Friends of Samukai are preparing to raise a manager’s check in the remaining amount to cover Samukai’s 50% payment of USD191,276.05. The sources say, the Friends of Samukai intend to make said payment to Criminal Court C before the end of Business today, Thursday, or latest tomorrow Friday, 20th August.
Recently, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security, Defense, Intelligence and Veteran Affairs, Senator Steve Zargo has cautioned the Government of Liberia (GOL) to be mindful of what he calls “military sympathy” from neighboring military friends and loyalists of his kinsman Senator-elect Brownie Samukai from the sub-region following the delay and protests over his certification by the National Elections Commission (NEC).
Senator Zargo, who is a member of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) is representing the people of Lofa County at the level of the Liberian Senate in the 54th National Legislature.
Mr. Samukai was declared the winner of the December 8, 2020 senatorial election in Lofa. But his certification by the National Elections Commission (NEC) has suffered multiple setbacks due to lawsuits filed by the government and the Movement for Progressive Change (MPC).
In February this year, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s ruling, sentencing the former Defense Minister, along with two former subordinates to a two-year imprisonment for misuse of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) pension fund, but with a condition that they would be set free if they restitute the US$1.3 million over a one-year period.
The Government argued that with the guilty verdict hanging over him, Samukai, who had earlier secured a massive victory in Lofa County on the opposition Collaborating Political Party’s ticket during the Special Senatorial Election, was unfit to serve as Senator and therefore should not be certificated by the NEC. The latest ruling is a major blow to the embattled Senator-elect who is desperately looking for an opportunity to mend his broken character, and the CPP that is seeking to increase its number at the Liberian Senate going into the 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections.