Monrovia – In the wake of Criminal Court “C” decision to grant indicted House Speaker Alex J. Tyler’s leave to seek medical treatment abroad prosecution lawyers set to prosecute him say they are holding to evidence against him for now.
Indicted Speaker Tyler who has already left the country to seek medical treatment in an unnamed country according to report was on September 12, 2016 granted a one week leave by Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice where he and others are facing trial.
The leave was granted based on request to the court by the Speaker complaining of ill-health after recusing himself as Presiding Officer of the Plenary of the House of Representatives.
Speaker Tyler who has been elected twice to the post in the two terms under the administration of the Unity Party (UP) led government of Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was recently embroiled in a controversy with his fellow lawmakers who demanded him to recuse himself as Presiding Officer of the lower House based on his indictment by the state on multiple criminal offences.
The embattled House Speaker Tyler was indicted by the state on May 24, 2016 along with Senator of Grand Cape Mount County, Cllr. Varney Sherman with bribery, economic sabotage, criminal facilitation, conspiracy and solicitation.
Other former government officials indicted along with the House Speaker are former Chairman of the National Investment Commission (NIC) Richard Tolbert, former Deputy Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy E.C.B. Jones and businessman Christopher Onanuga.
The two lawmakers and former government officials have been indicted on claim by the British watchdog Global Witness Report on Liberia that the officials while serving in various capacities in government received bribes in the amount of US$ 950,000 from a British Company Sable Mining to change some provisions of the Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC) Act in favor of the company to mine the Wologisi Mountain in Lofa County.
The embattled speaker was forced to recuse himself as presiding officer of the House on September 1, 2016 after mounting calls from both his colleagues and some members of the public to do same to accordingly safeguard the reputation of the House of Representatives.
Presiding Judge Emery Paye who endorsed the recused Speaker request granting him the leave has asked him to be back in the country by September 20, 2016.
However, State Prosecutors under the watchful eyes of Chief Prosecutor Cllr. Daku Mulbah in the wake of the granting of the leave have told the court that they cannot produce evidence against the embattled speaker now until he can return to the country after the sick leave.
“The state cannot present its evidence to the court now when the indicted speaker is out of the country, we have to wait until he returns” the state lawyers have told the court.
The comment from the state lawyers comes in the aftermath of a motion filed by the legal counsel of Speaker Tyler, Cllr. Johnny Momoh to the court for the prosecution to provide its evidence to the defense as a matter of law.
However, Criminal Court “C” has scheduled the hearing for the motion for the disclosure of evidence for September 22, 2016 at 1:30 pm two days after the return of the indicted Speaker to the country.
