Monrovia – The trial of five current and former Central Bank of Liberia officials indicted for economic sabotage could not proceed Monday, June 17, 2019, due to the absence of prosecution’s key witnesses.
Report by Kennedy L. Yangian, [email protected]
Montserrado County Attorney Cllr. Edwin Martin requested the court to grant the state a one-week break in order to make available witnesses – many of whom he claimed are on official duties out of the country.
“Prosecution requests your honor for continuance (time) in these proceeding and that the continuance is made against the backdrop that prosecution key witnesses are away on official duties,” said Cllr. Martin, arguing that his request was not to delay the proceeding.
One of the defense lawyers, Cllr. Abraham Sillah resisted the prosecution’s request, calling on the court to deny the motion. Cllr Sillah argues that granting the prosecution time will deny the Defendants their right to a speedy trial.
“Counsel for the defense says your honor should disregard and ignore the request because the letter written to this court was misdirected to the clerk of this court instead of the Judge,” Said Sillah.
In his ruling, Judge Peter Gbeneweleh noted that the consent of the defense counsel that their client was entitled to a speedy trial as provided for under Article 21(h) of the 1986 Constitution.
“A careful perusal of the records before us shows that this is the first continuance made by the prosecution, in this case, we will, therefore, grant them an excuse for one-week and the hearing of this matter is assigned on Monday, June 24, 2019, at 9:00 am,” added Judge Gbeneweleh.
The five former and Central Bank officials are Ex-Governor Milton Weeks; Deputy Governor for Operations, Charles Sirleaf; Dorbor Hagba Director of Finance Department; Richard Walker Director for Operations, and Joseph Dennis Deputy Director for Internal Audit.
They have all been charged with economic sabotage, criminal facilitation, and solicitation in connection with the missing L$16 billion.
However, the indictment states that the defendants have gone on trial for US$2 million theft.
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