-Guilty or not guilty?
By Peter N. Toby, Contributing Writer
The theft case allegedly involving two Liberian Christian clerics and a Korean Businessman has finally opened at the Criminal Court ‘C’ at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia.
Bishop Manasah Conto and his deputy, Steve Kettor set the stage for their criminal trial at the weekend, with a Not Guilty Plea, following the reading of their two page indictment.
Bishop Conto, who attempted to win a legislative seat in one of Monrovia’s districts last October, was indicted along with his deputy by the Liberian government in 2014 during February Term of Court for allegedly stealing US$150,000 from the Korean Businessman’s Company.
The two Liberian clergymen reportedly took the amount in question while serving as managers for the Korean Businessman Company in the Monrovia suburb of Bushrod Island.
The two Liberian clergymen NOT GUILTY PLEA will compel the Korean Businessman, Hungchi Choi to prove his allegation against the two Men of God as provided for under Chapter 25, Section 25.5 of the Criminal Procedure Law.
Section 25.5 of the Criminal Procedure Law States “the burden of proof rests on the party, who alleges a fact except that when the subject matter of a negative averment lies peculiarly within the knowledge of the other party, the averment is taken as true unless disprove by that party”.
After the two clergymen, their lawyers said they were not interested in Jury Trial but rather Bench Trial as provided for by law.
Human Rights Lawyer, Counsellor Dempster Brown told the Court that they were waiving Trial by Jury as provided by Chapter 20, Section 20.2 of Criminal Court Procedure Law.
This Section of Criminal Procedure of Law States: “In all cases except where a sentence of death may be imposed, trial by a jury be waive by a defendant who has the advice of Counsel. Such waiver shall be made be in open Court and entered of record.”
His request to the Court was granted by Judge Bloma Dixon after government lawyers interposed no objection.
This means Judge Dixon will serve as referee and player in the trial at Criminal Court ‘C’.