Did The Solicitor General Attempt To Bribe Jurors?
PHOTO: Liberia’s Solicitor General, Cllr. Nyanti Tuan
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- Is it that the evidence is not enough to convict former Liberia Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott and three of her family members on murder charge that the Solicitor General and chief prosecutor, Cllr. Nyanti Tuan sneaking his way in the Jury quarter to bribe them?
That entry has blown serious alarm, as Garmah Never Lomo reports.
“Where a party raises a charge of jury tempering, the trial court should suspend all proceedings to properly investigate this serious allegation.” Ginger v. Bai; 19 LLR 372 (1969) text at 375; Brown et. al. v. RL (Decided 21 January 2010)
“A proper basis for inclusion in a motion for a new trial and the bill of exception of a complaint regarding jury tempering or irregular behavior is that it first be raised while the jury is still empanelled, and where a party fails to follow this procedure, the issue will be considered to be improperly brought before the Supreme Court for review” Constance & Continental General and Life Insurance Company v. Aiavon et. al; 40 LLR 295 (2000) text at 303; Brown et’al. v. RL (decided 21 January 2010)
There are claims and counter claims about surrounding circumstances the death last February of the late Charloe Musu, daughter of former Chief Justice Gloria Scott and three of her relatives at Cllr. Scott’s Brewerville residence outside Monrovia. They are now facing trial for the alleged crime: Murder, Criminal Conspiracy, and Making false reports to law enforcement officials at Criminal Court “A”.
In the wake of the reported action of the Solicitor General, Judge Roosevelt Willie has fined Cllr. Nyanti Tuan US$250 and suspended him from the ongoing trial for entry to the jury quarter where they are being sequestered.
The Judiciary Security Officers stated that the Solicitor General, Cllr. Nyanti Tuan entered the Temple of Justice premises at 8:00 p.m. and deliberated with the Police officer assigned at the Jury Quarter but did not interact or interfere with any of the Jurors.
In reacting to the investigation report, Cllr. Nyanti Tuan told the Court that indeed, he visited the premises at 5:30 and met with the Judiciary Security Services assigned at the gate and two of them escorted him to see his officers assigned at the Jury Quarter, but he did not interact or interfere with any of the Jurors.
According to him, he wanted to advise his officers for them to be vigilant and careful in their duty at the Jury Quarter because.
He did not want to experience the same situation that occurred with the 100million Dollars drugs case that was had in Criminal Court ‘C’ wherein the Government lost that case.
The Solicitor General further stated that they got minutes of information concerning the trial jurors who were sequestered during the 100million dollars drug case which was not favorable for the government and the Trial Jurors who were sequestered brought down a not guilty verdict in favor of the Defendants.
Upon listening to the Solicitor General, Cllr. Nyanti Tuan and admitting to visiting the premises of the Temple of Justice at those odd hours without any notice to the Court, along with police officers, the Court ruled that Cllr. Nyanti Tuan be suspended from further taking part in the trial as one of the Government lawyers; and fined an amount of USS250.00 to be paid in the Judiciary Account within 72 hours or three days, effective as of the date of this ruling.
The Court further ruled that the officers in persons of: Amos Korkollie, Titus Massah, Webster J. Paye and Lassana Liazolu is presently assigned to the Jury Quarter with whom the Solicitor General interacts are hereby expelled from further forming part of the security the team assigned at the Jury Quarter.
Judge Willie ordered the Clerk to write the Inspector General (1G) of Liberia National Police to forward the names of four different police officers through the Court.