Monrovia – Former Liberia’s Lands, Mines and Energy Minster Dr. Eugene Shannon has appeal to Criminal Court C to grant him a month’s excuse in order for him to seek medical treatment abroad.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson Mbayo, [email protected]
Dr. Shannon said he was diagnosed with an undisclosed medical condition at the Mercy International Medical Center.
He requested the court to grant him excuse from April 19th to May 19 of this year.
“I am requesting a one-month excuse from April 19th to May 19th 2017 from the Global witness trial presently ongoing to seek medical attention in the United States of America.”
“If the period requested is insufficient I will communicate with you through my legal counselors, Emmanuel James and Cyril Jones. I pray your honor that you will grant me this request.” Dr. Shannon pleaded.
At the same time, Cllr. Varney Sherman also requested the court to travel for 10 days.
Both requests were granted by the court meaning the trial has been put on hold until Thursday May 11, 2017.
Sherman and seven other former and current officials of government including former House Speaker Alex Tyler are on trial for economic sabotage, criminal conspiracy, facilitation and solicitation.
Their indictment in May and November 2016 respectively grew out of the Global Witness Report of May 2016 which accused the officials of allegedly receiving bribes from a British company Sable Mining to change the Public Procurement and Concession Commission (Act) in favor of Sable Mining to win the Wologisi concession in Lofa County
Meanwhile, weeks after the International Bank Liberia Limited (IB Bank) through its legal representatives, informed the court that disks (CD Rom) that contained scanned checks of Cllr. Varney Sherman for the period being subpoenaed by the court been destroyed, sources have inform FPA that the Bank is currently undergoing investigation.
In a communication addressed to the Judge Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, Sr. of Criminal Court “C”, the bank noted that it conducted diligent search for all the scanned copies of the remaining checks in respect of the December 2016 Writ of Subpoena Duces Tecum ordered and served on the bank, and the subsequent March 7, 2017 Contempt Proceeding against the bank to show cause why it should not be held liable for failure to comply with the court’s order.
According to the bank, after its diligent search of all its storage and secured locations, both at its headquarters and other local branches, it was unable to locate the checks in question.
“Our client believes that the disk (CD Rom) containing the scanned checks for Cllr. H. Varney G. Sherman for the period under review was among destroyed disks that may have been disposed of because the information contained therein could not be recovered,” the letter addressed to the Judge noted.
Heritage Partners & Associates, Inc. – the law firm that represents the IB Bank Liberia reiterated the bank’s explanation provided in the March 9, 2017 communication to the effect of the original copies of the processed checks for April 2010, with the exception of one check valued at US$10,000 were signed for and received by the personal representative of Cllr. Sherman, Joseph Baryogar, on May 13, 2010.
According to the bank, the only relevant documents in its possession in respect to the subpoena are Cllr. Sherman’s statement of account for the period beginning April 1, 2010, up to and including April 30, 2010, indicating the various transactions; checks (#007747) drawn on IB Bank valued at US$10,000 in the name of Cllr. Sherman.
The documents were enclosed in the March 9, 2017 letter addressed to the court and filed with the clerk of court.
The International Bank (IB) was among several banks in the country that the court subpoenaed to produce account statements and other relevant documents pertaining to financial transactions referred to by the Global Witness’ The Deceivers Report.
The court’s subpoena was triggered by an application from the prosecution lawyers to have the defendants surrender the bank statements which they said were cogent among their evidence.
FPA has independently gathered that the Chief Executive Officer of the International Bank is currently undergoing criminal investigation by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and the Special Presidential Task Force.
The appearance of Mr. Henry Saamoi followed a citation from the prosecution team on what they term as concealing evidence from the state and the court.
He is expected to appear before investigators for further investigation.
At long last the checks which the bank previously disclosed was damaged are now before the court.
The checks accordingly were presented when the invite was given to the bank from the special presidential taskforce and the LACC.
The check total US$950,000 was discovered and published on May 11, 2016 by Global Witness.
The report claimed that Sable Mining acquired interest in Delta Mining, a South African company that was operating in Liberia, and subsequently hired co-defendant Sherman, as its Liberian lawyer; and it was based on Sherman’s advice that the company bribe Liberian Government officials, including former House Speaker Alex Tyler.
Out of the US$950,000, the report alleged co-defendant Tyler demanded from Sable Mining’s West Africa director Klaus Piprek US$250,000 to ensure smooth passage of the PPCC Act in favor of the company, and Tyler was paid US$75,000 through the Sherman and Sherman Law Firm’s account at IBLL.
The US$75,000, the Global Witness claimed, was withdrawn from the IBLL on August 25, 2010 by co-defendant Tyler and was confirmed on the spreadsheet prepared and submitted to Sable Mining by Sherman as payment.
The spreadsheet further alleged that the US$75,000 was paid to Tyler in his capacity as Speaker of the House of Representatives as “consultancy fees” with the intention to remove all obstacles that would have impeded the passage of the law.
The company transferred the money through the Sherman and Sherman account with IBLL, where almost all the defendants were paid for their efforts to have amended the 2010 Act.