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, bettie.mbayo@frontpageafricaonline.com

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.

Monrovia – Defendants in the Global Witness bribery allegations trial in Liberia have all pleaded not guilty. Thursday’s proceedings, followed the reading of the indictment to the defendants in open court.

Report by Bettie Johnson Mbayo, bettie.mbayo@frontpageafricaonline.com

The defendants Senator H. Varney G. Sherman(UP, Grand Cape Mount); Rep. Alex Tyler(Bomi); Richard Tolbert, Christopher Hayes Onanauga, Senator Morris Saytumah, Eugene Shannon and E.C.B. Jones – in one accord responded “Not Guilty”, marking their second full appearance in court.

The court reluctantly granted the defendants resistance to no jury trial. Judge Yarmie Gbeisay denied the state request for jury trial.

It is a bench trial which is the judge will serve as jury and judge.

The Global Witness exposé uncovered more than US$950,000 in bribes and other suspicious payments by UK mining firm, Sable Mining and its Liberian lawyer, Cllr. Sherman.

The report, The Deceivers (1), shows how in 2010 Sable hired Varney Sherman, Liberia’s best-connected lawyer and current Chairman of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s Unity Party, in an effort to secure one of Liberia’s last large mining assets, the Wologizi iron ore concession in northern Liberia.

Sen. Sherman told Sable that in order to obtain the contract the company must first get Liberia’s concessions law changed by bribing senior officials, according to a source familiar with the discussions.

The account is backed up by leaked emails and company documents seen by Global Witness.

The report claims that Cllr. Sherman then began distributing Sable’s money to some of Liberia’s most important government officials.

“Sable and Sherman paid bribes in order to change Liberia’s law and get their hands on one of its most prized assets, the Wologizi concession,” said Jonathan Gant, Senior Campaigner with Global Witness.

“The government must act fast and investigate Sable, Sherman, and the officials they paid.”

Meanwhile the state has withdrawn Cllr. Johnny Momo from serving as witness.

His name was withdrawn when he made a submission to the court that he couldn’t serve as witness for the state on grounds that he was never informed by the state.

“Your honor, I’m seeing my name as a witness and I have no idea because the state didn’t inform me.”

Monrovia – Barely 10 months following the indictment of several former and present officials of government in the much publicized Sable Mining bribery trial, the case resumed on Monday March 6 the Criminal Court “C”with a no show by the defendants.

Report by Kennedy L. Yangian klyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com

The lone defendant in court when the case was called for hearing was former House Speaker Alex Tyler but the rest of the defendants, Varney Sherman, E.C.B. Jones, Christopher Onanuga, Wille Belleh, Andrew Groves, Eugene Shannon and Morris Saytumah were all out of the bailwick of the court.

The former Chairman of the National Investment Commission (NIC), Richard Tolbert, who is one of the defendants in the case, showed up late n the yard of the court when the case had already been adjourned by Judge Yamie Gbeisay to be resumed today March 7 at 9 a.m.

Lawyers representing the defendants did not give the court any reason for the absence of their clients, however, Judge Gbeisay frowned on their absence, stating they are prominent citizens of the country and under the law, they were only being accused and not convicted therefore their rights are to be respected by the court.

Judge Gbeisay continued that during trial, defendants are under the obligation to respect the mandate of the court by showing up for trial.

The judge indicated that the defendants’ action, being the first time, must not be repeated or he court would set aside the bail bond and have them arrested ass such wouldn’t be tolerated by the court.

“Meanwhile, all defendants who did not show-up in this court at 9:00 a.m as per the assignment are hereby fine US$200.00 each to be paid on or before the call of the case Tuesday, March 7 hearing at 9:00 a.m.

Failure on their part, the Clerk of this court is hereby ordered to issue a writ of arrest and have them detained until the amount is paid into government revenue,” said Judge Gbeisay who stated that the measure did not include Senator Morris Saytumah who was not served with an assignment from the court .

The defense teams of former NIC boss Tolbert, led by Cllr. Edwin Martin, and that of Senator Varney Sherman, led by Cllr. Emmanuel James took exception to the ruling.

Monrovia – Fleeing from justice – court sheriffs are yet to find the whereabouts of Morris Saytumah who is wanted for his alleged role in the bribery scandal unearthed by Global Witness involving Sable Mining and a host of Liberian Government officials.

Report by Lennart Dodoo – ldodoo@frontpageafricaonline.com & Bettie K. Johnson Mbayo, bettie.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

Morris Saytumah who served as Minister of State for Political, Legal & Economic Affairs was indicted alongside former Minister of Lands, Mines & Energy, Eugene Shannon, former Deputy Minister of Lands, Mines & Energy for Operations, E.C.B. Jones and former Chairman of the Public Procurement Concession Commission (PPCC), Willie Belleh.

They were indicted Thursday, January 5 – the second batch of individuals to be indicted by the Special Presidential Task Force.

While the whereabouts of Saytumah remains unknown, his lawyer, Cllr. Musa Dean, Thursday pleaded with the Court to give him 24 hours to produce him before the court according to judicial source.

Saytumah, according to the report, allegedly received payment of US$50,000.00 to influence the change of the Revised PPC Act of 2005 and the tender process for mineral concessions in favor of Sable Mining Company.

Shannon appeared in court Thursday, January 5 with his lawyer but was released to his wife, Loris M. Shannon, who currently serves as Deputy Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, without a criminal appearance bond.

His lawyer had filed a motion with the court to allow him be placed on the same bond which was filed by the first batch of indictees which include Cllr. Varney Sherman, E.C.B. Jones and Christopher Onanuga who were indicted in May 2016 in connection to the allegation.

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives J. Alex Tyler was also indicted. He, however, filed a separate bond.

Shannon’s lawyers, Cllrs. Emmanuel B. James and Cyril Jones, averred in the Motion to Add that the criminal appearance bond filed by the co-defendants far exceeds the amount for which he (Shannon) and the other defendants were indicted.

The motion which is in possession of FPA shows that upon the arrest of Sherman and others, a joint criminal appearance bond was filed by them in the amount of one million five hundred thousand United States Dollars (US $ 1,500,000.00) which was approved by the court wherein the omega insurance company served as surety.

A letter from Sherman & Sherman Law Firm dated January 4, 2017 signed by Cllr. Sherman, instructs Omega Insurance to include on their criminal appearance bond the names of Shannon and Jones so that they will be covered by the US$1,500,000.00 bond.

The motion also prayed the court to permit Shannon be released on his own recognizance or his lawyers.

However, while the court was preparing his commitment for admission into the Monrovia Central Prison until the motion is argued and ruled upon, Shannon’s wife filed a commitment to the court requesting that he be released to her, promising to produce him to the court when he is needed.

Meanwhile, Willie Belleh is said have left the country for the United States. It is not clear when he would return to face the indictment.

He was accused by the report to have received US$10,000 for his role in ensuring that the relevant section of the draft Act favourable to Sable Mining is maintained in the final version and to ensure its passage.

According to the Earth Chronicles website, the epicenter of the earthquake was 646.4 miles away from Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County in the Atlantic Ocean but it is not a threat to Liberia or its neighbors.

The quake occurred less than a week after a deadly earthquake measuring 6.2 on the moment magnitude scale, hit in Italy, killing 292 people, injuring 388 and leaving 2,900 homeless. 

Geologists here attribute the quake to routine geological occurrences and have called for calm among the Liberian population.

“We don’t have to worry about it,” former Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy Dr. Eugene Shannon told FrontPage Africa on Tuesday. “Earthquake can occur anywhere in the world when tension builds up and erupts. We have to understand that.”

Dr. Shannon said though the Monday earthquake measured an unusual magnitude and occurred in an area not known for earthquakes, the distance of 1050 km puts Liberia in a safe zone despite being the epicenter for the quake.

“Places like Japan, earthquakes occur after every five minutes,” he said, reemphasizing the normalcy of the earthquakes in certain regions that could be deep under the ocean.

Dr. Shannon’s comments were backed by the Senior Researcher at the Liberian Geological Survey of the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy, Jenkins Dorbor.

“I don’t think that it is a threat to Liberia as a whole because it far and it happened since [Monday] and if it would have been a threat to Liberia we could be feeling some movement,” Dorbor said.

“Sometimes, before there is an earthquake in an area you would see the ants moving. Even the birds, they have very sensitive nerves and they can tell when an earthquake is about to happen.

“Maybe something (earthquake) closer to us will happen one day but not this particular one. It is going to die down completely.”

On December 22, 1983, there was an earthquake in Guinea whose shocks were felt in some parts of Liberia. Dr. Shannon, then the head of the Liberian Geological Survey, led a team of geologists to Guinea to investigate the implications of the quake to Liberia.  The team recommended to the People Redemption Council (PRC) regime that an investigation into Liberia’s Todee Sheer zone be conducted because an earthquake was could occur in the area. 

However, Dr. Shannon said 33 years was a long a time, making the Todee Sheer no longer an earthquake concern and had no relation to what happened in the Atlantic on Monday.

“The Todee Sheer has existed for long and we have not experienced [anything]. What happened 591 miles off the coast does not have any significance,” Dr. Shannon said.

 Dr. Shannon said fishermen and people living closer to the coast had nothing to fear as the situation was different from a tsunami, which he pointed is not a geological occurrence known to take place in the Atlantic Ocean. 

 James Harding Giahyue/Special to FrontPageAfrica