Monrovia – Justice-In-Chamber Yussif Kaba on Thursday, September 5, mandated lower court Judge Blamo Dixon to resume the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) alleged missing billions case that was adjourned on August 26, 2019.
Report by Kennedy L. Yangian, [email protected]
The case was ordered adjourned by Judge Dixon following a writ of certiorari filed by the defense counsel to the Justice-In-Chamber Yussif Kaba.
The Certiorari writ was filed against Judge Dixon ruling that reprimanded three of the five Defendants to the Monrovia Central Prison until they can file a criminal bond of L$1,058,000,000.00.
It was rejected by Defense Counsel Cllr. Abraham Sillah, who termed it as illegal.
Pending the hearing of the writ of certiorari that calls for the review of the lower court Judge’s ruling, Justice Kaba ordered the release of the three Defendants but ban them from traveling beyond Monrovia.
Barely a day after the release of the three Defendants, on Thursday, September 5, 2019 Justice Kaba issued another order through the office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court Atty.Sam Mamulu ordering the lower court to resume the case.
“I have been directed by his honor presiding Justice –In- Chambers to inform you of the revocation of the alternative writ of certiorari issued on the 2nd day of September 2019 predicated upon the execution and filing of a stipulation by the parties,” said the Clerk.
The mandate, according to a source of the Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice, will be read to the parties on Friday, September 6, 2019 to be followed by a notice of assignment for the resumption of the case that involves five executives of the CBL.
The executives are former Governor Milton Weeks, Deputy Governor for Operations, Charles Sirleaf, Dorbor Hagba Director of Finance, Richard Walker Director for Operations and Joseph Dennis Deputy Director for Internal Audit.
The Defendants were indicted on March 4, 2019 by the Grand Jury of Montserrado County on charges of economic sabotage, money laundering, criminal conspiracy and facilitation but all of them have pleaded not guilty hereby joining issues with state prosecutors to prove its case against them.
The Defendants were arrested after the release of a report by the Presidential Investigative Team (PIT) set up by President George Manneh Weah.
“We are not guilty”, each of the five Defendants shouted in a loud tone in court on August 26. 2019, when then the indictment was read to them tby the court clerk.
Specifically, the Presidential Investigative Team (PIT) accused the five Defendants of allegedly printing an access of L$2, 645,000,000.00 out of the alleged missing L$16 Billion that was printed by the Crane Currency and brought into Liberia.