PHOTO: Convict Anthony Sumo being escorted to jail
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
A Liberian man, Anthony Sumo has been found guilty of human trafficking, after a court trial in Liberia’s northwestern Gbarpolu County.
The bench trial, presided over by it assigned Judge Joe S. Barkon, involved the Republic of Liberia vs. co-defendant Anthony Sumo in the human trafficking case, ended with co-defendant Sumo being declared guilty of the crime and charges levied against him.
Judge Barkon
The decision was taken against co-defendant Anthony Sumo Sumo in open Court of the 16th Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarpolu County on Tuesday, December 14, 2021.
On January 29, 2021, Co-defendant Anthony Sumo was arrested with 22 children at the Salalah checkpoint in Bong County in a monroon pathfinder jeep traveling to 26 gate through Kakata, Margibi County for the purpose of bringing the children on orphanage mission to acquire education.
Upon the arrest of co-defendant Anthony Sumo along with the driver of the car, he named madam Elizabeth McCree to have been the one who sent him to recruit the number of children and bring them to 26 gate near Kakata on the orphanage Mission for education.
He told the court that he was instructed by his boss lady to collect 60 cups of rice, 8 gallons of oil, 4 quarters of meat 4000 Liberian dollars and other food items per child to sustain the children while on campus.
Both defense lawyers and state prosecutors in court
That when they arrived at the Salalah check point, the Immigration officers arrested him for traveling with the number of children without legal authority or permit and placing the children in the car as if they were cargos.
The immigration officers than redirected the car to Monrovia at the ministry of Gender children and social protection instead of 26th gate, Kakata as intended and planned by co-defendant Anthony Sumo along with his boss lady.
A team was sent from the Labour Ministry of Labor and Gender to find out the assistance of the orphanage home of Madam Elizabeth McCree in Kakata where they found a house belonging to her and not an orphanage home.
Co-defendant Anthony Sumo was therefore found guilty of the crime of trafficking in person and a pre-sentence hearing is expected within four days from the date of the final ruling of the court on December 14, 2021.
Meanwhile, defendant Elizabeth McCree has appeared in court to answer to the charge of trafficking.
Ms. Elizabeth McCree Has pleaded not guilty of the crime and will reappear in court on December 27, 2021 for commencement of her trial.
The government of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice was represented by Gbarpolu County Attorney Gabriel Wleh; Cllr.Thompson Jarpah; and Cllr Moifee Kanneh from the Ministry of Labor. The defense was represented by Cllr. Lebah M. Mulbah; Atty. Edward Dahn and the former Senate President Pro Tempore, Atty. Armah Zulu Jallah.