-ALP leader, Benoni Urey is one of the Sureties in Milton Weeks’ Bond hearing
By By Garmah Never Lomo,garmahlomo@gmail.com
One of the sons of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Charles Sirleaf, the indicted Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia and four other present and former Criminal Court CBL officials have been arraigned before the Criminal Court ‘C’ in the LD$16 billion saga.
The hearing into bonds
filed by four of defendants took place on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at the temple
of Justice in the May term of the Criminal Court .
The four defendants are Milton A. Weeks, Dorbor
M. Hagba, Richard H. Walker and Joseph Dennis.
They are charged with and indicted for Economic Sabotage which falls under the referenced subchapter of the Penal Law.
Earlier during the
February term of court, state prosecutors prayed the court to grant its
exception by sitting the invalid, inadequate and insufficient Criminal
appearance bond aside and rule the criminal defendants incarcerated at a common
jail in Monrovia (Monrovia Central Prison) and house arrest in the case of
Co-defendant Charles E. Sirleaf until they can post valid criminal appearance
bonds.
During the bonds hearing at Criminal Court C, co-defendant
Charles E. Sirleaf was represented the law offices of J. Johnny Momoh and
associates and Cllr. James E. Pierre and present in court were Atty. Milar
Kataknor, Cllr. Amara Sheriff and Cllr. J. Johnny Momoh and he Charles Sirleaf
was also present in court.
While Milton A. Weeks was represented by Heritage partner and
associates and present in court were Cllr. Abrahim B. Sillah Sr. and J. Awai
Vanka and co-defendant Weeks was also present in court.
Co-defendants Dorbor Hagba wad represented as per record and
present in court were Cllr. Augustine C. Fayiah and Atty. Stryker and the
defendant Dorbor Hagba was present in court.
Joseph Dennis and Richard E. Walker were represented by Touch
processional consultancy and promus law group NELA and present were Cllr. Powoe
Hilto , Cllr. Varma J. Blama, Atty. Kojo N. Ross and Koisee Garmo and the both
defendants were present in court.
State prosecutors were presented by and thru the Ministry of
Justice and all prosecuting Attorneys and in association with LACC. Present in
court were Cllr. Carnelius A. Warner, Cllr. Othello S. Paima, Cllr. E. Boakai
Harvey and Cllr. Edwin K. Martin attorney for Montserrado.
Before the commencement of the bond hearing one counsels for
co-defendant Richard E. Walker and Joseph Dennis request the court for the sole
purpose of consolidating their motions for justification of sureties, since
indeed and in fact four of the defendants/movants have one surety. It is the
Accident and Casualty Insurance Company (ACICO) adding that the consideration
of these motions is to speed up the process and to give way to the speedy
disposition of the proceeding.
In resisting to the application made by one of counsels for
co-defendants named Supra, one of counsels for prospection specifically, the
County Attorney for Montserrado County.
He said the application
made by one of counsels for the co-movants is made for the sole purpose
establish as to the weight, the sufficiency and adequacy of the surety who
knowingly or unknowingly serves as surety for the four defendants or co-movants.
One of counsels for prosecution said they maintained that the
foundation for the surety upon which prosecution filed the exceptions is
cardinal on the sufficiency and adequacy of the amount.
He said amount being
summed up for four co-defendants makes it legally expeditious for said surety
to appear on behalf of the four co-movants thereby to maximize the prosecution
of the proceedings.
The prosecutors added that while they will not interpose any
objection to said application, prosecution is of opinion that said motion and
submission by the co-defendants is made in good faith and prosecution expects
that the sanctity of the dispensation of the proceedings be respected by the
movants.
The court said the submission for consolidation of the
motions for justification of sureties for co-defendants who have one surety
ASICO is supported by the record before the court. And the law provides for
consolidation in this jurisdiction and prosecution interposed no objection and
submission was granted by the court.
Qualification and sequestration of two persons for Milton A.
Weeks surety were present in the person of Mr. Benoni Urey and Atty. Attorney
Angelique G. Eupheme Weeks, sister of Milton Weeks. Both of them took the
witness stand and testified as to their qualification as sureties pursuant to the
property valuation bond proffered for and on behalf of Milton A. Weeks.
Mr. Urey said the property in question was purchased decades
ago from Mr. Pratt who is the father of Reginald Pratt and property is located
on the police academy road and has also been his possession from the date of
purchase and that all of taxes owed government have been paid and have
consented form his property to be used as surety for defendant weeks.
Mr. Urey said his property is valued at US$909,319.00.
While Angelique Eupheme Weeks disclosed that the property in
question is a structure erected on property conveyed to her by her late mother
Eupheme G. Cooper Weeks and said property having been acquired by her in the
year 1959.
Madam Week testifying said the structure on the property was
valued through an appraisal by the LRA in 2012 and she has been paying taxes on
the said property from this date of valuation to date.