Monrovia – Criminal Court “C” on Wednesday was a scene of drama as hundreds of onlookers and supporters gathered to watch the start of a landmark trial of House Speaker Alex Tyler and Grand Cape Mount County Senator, Varney Sherman.
“Don’t threaten me with the court because that is where I work. That is where I was born and that is where I became successful” Cllr. Varney Sherman
Senator Sherman arrived early in the morning at the court. After the news of his arrest hit the airwaves, many Liberians gathered at the Temple of Justice But it was Speaker Tyler’s arrival that angers the crowd that gathered at the court, thereby booing him while chanting “rogue, rogue.”
The crowd could not permit the vehicle of the Speaker to find its way to the court as it had to be turned away.
In the Court, Cllr. Sherman and Speaker Tyler looked broken and confused as their supporters awaited the news of whether they would spend their first night behind bars or be released on a bond. Supporters were mixed with confusion whether the bond would be accepted.
Soon they jumped into a wild celebration upon hearing that the bond would be accepted.
Stepping out of the court, Speaker Tyler was shown esprit de corps by his colleagues in the Legislature while Senator Sherman received similar treatment from partisans of the Unity Party who took him to the party’s headquarters in Congo Town.
At UP headquarters, Cllr. Sherman, in a boastful tone, told his supporters that he cannot be threatened by the court.
“You know I have been a lawyer now for thirty six years. I am what I am not because I am a politician but more so because I’m a lawyer.
That courtroom is my home and continues to be my home,” Cllr. Sherman added.
“This morning, a friend who’s also a lawyer told me in matter in which he was involved, his adversary, the man on the other side, said I will take this man to court so he turned to him and said how can you threaten fish with water?
He did not know that I was listening to him so carefully, that I learned a lot from him. He says I’m fish and you are telling me you will threaten me with water?
He was simply saying that don’t threaten me with the court because that is where I work, that is where I was born and that is where I became successful.”
The UP Chairman assured his supporter of winning the legal battle with the government.
“Now we are in the courtroom, rest assured that we got some of the best lawyers who are working for us. You know myself I’m a lawyer, we got all the lawyers at Sherman and Sherman law firm,” Cllr. Sherman added.
The Grand Cape Mount Senator said that he is innocent of the indictment drawn against him by the grand jury of Montserrado.
“The little I will tell you is that we are innocent. We have not committed any crime in the Republic and I will defend myself and the others very, very vigorously,” Cllr. Sherman maintained.
“We are going to fight this case to its logical conclusion; I’m not going to give any interview or to tell you anything about the details of this matter”, he added.
He warned his supporters to take politics out of the case currently before the court.
“I want to tell all of our supporters that this is not a political matter as far as I’m concerned because demonstration, whether it is public or quiet, will not make a determination of this case. This case is now in the court and it is at the court we will do our best”, he stated.
President Sirleaf Departs the Country Today: Pays Official Visits to the US, Senegal and the State of Israel
Monrovia, Liberia: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, will today depart the country for official visits to the United States of America, Senegal and the State of Israel respectively.
According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf will be away from May 26 to June 10, 2016. The first leg of the Liberian leader’s official visit takes her to the United States; thereafter she will proceed to Dakar, Senegal to attend the ECOWAS Summit of Heads of State and Government.
The final leg of the Chief Executive’s official visit takes her to the State of Israel where she will have the opportunity to meet Israeli authorities on crucial matters of bilateral concern.
While the President Sirleaf is out of the country, Hon. Brownie J. Samukai, Minister of National Defense takes charge from May 26 – 29, and Dr. Edward B. McClain, Jr. Minister of State for Presidential Affairs from May 30 – June 9, will serve as Coordinator respectively of the Cabinet in telephone consultation with Her Excellency and with the Vice President who will be returning to the country.
Meanwhile, the Liberian leader returns home on June 10, 2016.
