Monrovia – Requests by defense lawyers in the alleged Charlie Musu murder case, to subpoena Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson T. Koijee, the wife of Varlee Telleh, Moses Wright, one of the securities assigned at the home of Cllr. Telleh and one Mohammed Keita as well as Organe GSM Company have been denied by Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Willie.
By Willie N. Tokpah/0777039231
On Wednesday, December 6, the Defense team in its submission requested the court or Subpoena the wife of Varlee Telleh to testify to the number, indicated in the document as her official number being registered in the name of Varlee Telleh as well as testifying…
[4:39 pm, 06/12/2023] Willie Tokpah WhatsApp: Writ of Certiorari Issued Against Judge Roosevelt Willie Refusal To Subpoena Mayor Koijee, Mrs. Varlee Telleh, Mohammed Keita, Moses Wright, Orange and Lonestar GSM
[5:48 pm, 06/12/2023] Willie Tokpah WhatsApp: Writ of Certiorari Issued Against Judge Roosevelt Willie Refusal To Subpoena Mayor Koijee, Mrs. Varlee Telleh, Mohammed Keita, Moses Wright, Orange and Lonestar GSM
Monrovia- Defense Lawyers representing Cllr. Glorious Musu Scott and three others in the alleged Charlie Musu murder proceeding have filed a Writ of Certiorari before the Justice in Chamber, Jamesetta Wolokollie, against Criminal Court “A” Judge, Roosevelt Z. Willie, for what the petition described as his refusal to subpoena Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Tamba Koijee, the wife of Varlee Telleh, one Mohammed Keita, the security assigned at the home of Cllr. Scott, Moses Wright, and Orange and Lonestar GSM.
The defense is craving the Chambers’ Justice determination into whether the decision taken by Judge Willie was right or not.
The petition provided its reliance on Section 16.21.1 of the Civil Procedure Law of Liberia, further saying that Section 13.4 also provides that, “where the person to be examined is not a party or person who at the time of taking the disposition is an officer, director, member or employee of a party, he shall be served with a subpoena.”
It noted that unless the court orders otherwise, such a subpoena must be served at least ten days before the examination.
It further argued: “Proof of service of a notice to take a disposition as provided in Section 13.3(3) or (4) constitute sufficient authorization for issuance by the Clerk of the Court of a subpoena for the person named or described therein and for production by the of designated books, papers, and portable things as authorized in section 13.5.”
Therefore, the defense in their petition noted that a staff of the Monrovia City Corporation(MCC), Varlee Telleh, was subpoenaed to testify to numbers submitted by him to the Liberia National Police during a criminal investigation regarding the murder of the late Charloe Musu, and while on the witness stand, he testified that the number 0778-371-222 is being used by him and mobile number 0776-632-470 is registered in his name, but manage or used by his wife.
According to the defense, based on Telleh’s testimony that the other number was registered in his name but being used by his wife, they then requested the court to subpoena the wife of Telleh testify to the number and particularly to a call made to cell number 112001407 between the period February 20, 2023 to February 24, 2023 and the relationship between Mrs. Telleh and the person to whom the calls were made since this same 112001407 also called Moses Wright, security assigned to the home of Cllr. Scott within the same period.
As a result, the defense furthermore noted that their request to subpoena Moses Wright was to allow him to appear and testify to the same 112001407 number that also called him within the same period mentioned since he was the assigned security to the home of Cllr. Scott on February 22, 2023, the night the late Charloe Musu was murdered.
Judge Willie had denied the defense’s request to have them subpoenaed on the grounds, that the subpoenas were not specific and that the defense did not present evidence or motive for their submission.
Is also seeking Judge Wolokollie’s decision into why Judge Willie denied the request to subpoena Orange GSM to produce the call log of Moses Wright and Varlee Telleh’s Wife who is believed to be owners of the mobile number 776-632-470 for the period February 20-24, 2023.
“Petitioners say, subpoenas were prayed for to be issued on Mayor Jefferson Tamba Koijee to testify in these proceedings. The petitioner also prayed for a Subpoena duces tecum to be issued for the mobile numbers 0776-407-969 and 0886-407-969 owned by Mayor Jefferson Tamba Koijee and 0770-430-291, believed to be owned by one Mohammed Keita, which was also denied,” the petition noted.
According to defense lawyers the action by Judge Willie to deprive petitioners or defendants of the opportunity for adequate representation and the right to proffer evidence on their behalf.
Therefore, they see a petition of a Writ of Certiorari as a means of reviewing and correcting what they deemed, an “error made by Judge Willie.”
Therefore, the defense wants Justice Wolokollie to issue the Writ of Certiorari and to compel Judge Willie to grant the subpoena requests, stating that it will have an equitable and legal basis.