Monrovia – House Speaker, J. Alex Tyler and Senator Varney Sherman, two senior members of the 53rd Legislature, were on Wednesday arrested and taken to the Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice by court officers where they were charged with several multiple offences including bribery, criminal conspiracy, economic sabotage, criminal solicitation and criminal facilitation.
The arrest of the two lawmakers and their subsequent indictment was based on their refusal to appear before the Special Presidential Task Force set up by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf after Global Witness released a comprehensive report linking several former and current government officials, including Speaker Tyler and Senator Sherman of allegedly receiving bribes from a British Company, Sable Mining, to award it a concession agreement.
State’s indictment against the two lawmaker and others first stated that between the period 2010 to 2011, defendant Tyler allegedly received US$75,000 from the British Company Sable Mining Inc for conducting the smooth passage of the amended Procurement and Concession Commission Law, containing the provision for the Ministry of Lands & Mines to have the power to declare a concession area a “non-bidding area” Article (75) of the amended PPCC Act so as to create ease for the awarding of the concession agreement on the Wologisi mines in Lofa County.
In the same indictment, the prosecution indicated that Senator Sherman, being the mastermind of the commission of economic sabotage and with the full knowledge, was treading a dangerous path and began to obstruct every effort to retrieve credible records and interactions with persons who were part of the conspiracy to send and receive cash for the achievement of the objectives.
However, the Chief Prosecutor of the Special Presidential Taskforce investigating the accused persons in the Global Witness report, Cllr. Daku Mulbah says that the task force has not ended its investigation despite the arrest and indictment of Speaker Tyler and Senator Sherman.
Cllr. Mulbah, who is also the County Attorney for Montserrado, told FrontPageAfrica Thursday that the task force is still active and continuing its investigation.
He said the Speaker and senator were arrested because of their adamant stance of not appearing before the Task Force for questioning.
“It is the right of any of the accused to refuse to appear before the Special Presidential Taskforce but whenever we have a probable cause on you, we will go ahead to indict you as in the case of House Speaker Tyler and Senator Sherman,” said Cllr. Daku Mulbah.
On the question of the bond filed for the temporary release of Speaker Tyler and Senator Sherman, Cllr. Mulbah indicated that the bond has been filed.
However, the state will, within three working days, respond whether the bond meet the legal requirement but rooted out the question of whether the state will challenge the bond.
“Let me tell the Liberian people that the investigation is not over yet. Everyone that is accused in the report will be called in and questioned, and if there is a probable cause, we will indict them,” said Cllr. Mulbah who reiterated that the exercise is not intended to target anyone as the law is there to protect everyone.
He called on Liberians to stop interfering or obstructing the legal process of those that come in conflict with the law.
Kennedy L. Yangian, kennedy.yangian@ frontpageafricaonline.com