Monrovia – Three students of the United Methodist University (UMU) have been incarcerated at the Monrovia Central Prison by the Monrovia City Court Judge, Kennedy Peabody, for allegedly disseminating a nude video of a school mate on social media.
Reported by Augustine T. Tweh 00231775524647 [email protected]
Stephanie Ajavon, Charlotte Dixon and Deddeh Yarsiah are staying their first night behind bars for failure to file their criminal appearance bond, while Anita Woods, the prime suspect has been released on bond.
According to police charge sheet, the suspects were arrested on Monday, October 22 and charged with the crime of Dissemination of Obscene Materials.
The charge sheet further stated that the four suspects were first arrested July 6 in connection to the crime but were later released.
However, their constant posting of the nude video on the social media through Facebook Messenger and a famous students chat group called WeChat prompted their incarceration based on a lawsuit filed against them by the victim.
Investigation conducted by Police revealed that the victim (Mary, not her real name) did a secret nude recording of herself at home with her cellphone which suspect Anita Woods had access to, and allegedly released the video via social media when confusion ensued between them on relationship matter.
The charge sheet also pointed out that after the video was shared via social media by Anita, the other three suspects were seen distributing the video among others with the caption: “La sex tape is really lit ooh and we are making sure every citizen of this country will have a copy of the sex tape”.
During the defendants first appearance in court, their lawyers pleaded with state prosecutors for pre-trial conference.
But the state prosecutors rejected the plea for pre-trial conference on ground that the defendants should file a criminal appearance bond or be incarcerated to serve as a deterrent to others.
“The defendants in the dock should file the appropriate bond so as to secure their day-to-day appearance, in the absence of that, they should be remanded at the Monrovia Central Prison so as to deter the naked showing of others,” state prosecutors said.
The City Court Judge, Magistrate Kennedy Peabody denied the defense lawyers’ application for a pre-trial conference and ordered the defendants to file a proper criminal appearance bond.
“The application of a pre-trial conference filed by the defense counsels seems that there was no meeting of the matter based on the resistance filed by the prosecutors, therefore said application is denied,” he said.