Monrovia – Magistrate Kennedy Peabody of the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice has been given three-week ultimatum to surrender the living body of Ajodeji Bejide, the suspended Manager of the Guaranty Trust (GT) Bank.
Report by Kennedy L. Yangian [email protected]
The Criminal Court ‘A’ Judge, Roosevelt Willie, Thursday, October 4, issued the ultimatum after summary proceeding hearing with Magistrate Peabody and that of Montserrado County Attorney, Cllr. Edwin Martins.
The summary proceeding was filed by state lawyers against Magistrate Peabody’s quest to grant Bejide medical leave to seek treatment out of the country without the acknowledgment of the prosecution, which had earlier issued the Writ of Ne Exeat Republica against him.
This writ is issued on individuals of interest to a case or investigation from leaving the country until the outcome of that case or investigation.
“By directive of his honour Roosevelt Willie, Resident Judge Presiding over the Criminal Court “A” for Montserrado County, Temple of Justice, you are hereby informed as per the revocation of the Writ of Ne Exeat Republica that you were in error to have revoked the said writ without notice to prosecution as well to allow Defendant Ajodeji Bejide excuse for medical reasons without proof of ill-health,” said Judge Willie.
Another portion of the ruling reads: “However, since you have assured this court that Defendant Bejide will be back in three weeks, you are given the benefit of the doubt, otherwise, you will be held to produce the living body of Defendant Bejide after October 22, 2018, for so doing this shall constitute your legal and sufficient authority signed Gabriel T. Smith Clerk on behalf of the court.”
Bejide stands accused of assaulting an employee of the bank, Edward Freeman, on August 28, 2018. He allegedly threw a calculator at Freeman and its impact resulted into a cut on his lip when both men were in a meeting at the bank’s 13th Street Office.
Following the incident, Bejide was arrested, investigated and charged by the police with aggravated assault and was forwarded to the Monrovia City Court where he was freed on bail but barred by the same court from leaving the country pending prosecution.
Last week Bejide was reported to have left the country after he was granted a medical leave by Presiding Magistrate Peabody. There are reports that he has gone to Mali.
When contacted by this newspaper, Magistrate Peabody confirmed the report but claimed that Defendant Bejide is charged with a crime that is bailable and that a valid criminal appearance bond of US$50,000 in filed on his behalf by the Insurance Company of Africa (ICA).
Magistrate Peabody further stated that before the court could grant the defendant the medical leave, his (Bejide’s) lawyer wrote the court officially requesting for the medical leave for his client.
However, Magistrate Peabody felt short of saying whether the lawyer in question ever presented the court with any medical report to support their request for medical leave outside of Liberia.
“The court acted in line with the law, the crime allegedly committed by the defendant is bailable and since the case was brought to this court, the prosecution has been unable to persuade the case,” contended Magistrate Peabody. However, Montserrado County Attorney, Cllr. Martins told this newspaper that if defendant Bejide has left the country or not he was not aware and all he knows is that Bejide is on Ne Exeat Republica.