PHOTO: Emmanuel Gonquoi after the Court ruling today, Monday
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
The Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia today, Monday found guilty the controversial leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia leader, Emmanuel Gonquoi guilty for attacking the seat of the Legislature, Capitol Building and its security guards on July 21, 2021.
During the pre-trial conference, convict Gonguoi confessed judgement and pleaded with court “to temper justice with mercy” and that he regretted last July’s incident on the promises of the Capitol.
After perusing the case file, it showed that on August 5,2021, the Ministry of Justice by and thru the office of the City solicitor prayed for a writ of arrest to be issued and be served on the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia leader Emmanuel Gonquoi and others to be identified on charges of terroristic threat, simple assault, felonious restraint and disorderly conduct,’ the court ruling said.
The said writ was issued and served under the jurisdiction of the Monrovia City Court.
According to the court, defendant Gonquoi was advised of his constitutional rights under Article 21 of the 1986 constitution of Liberia.
FLASHBACK: Gonquoi and his EFFL militants
During the first call of the case, the defendant’s legal Counsels requested for a pre-trial conference in line with Chapter 12 of the Civil Procedure Law of Liberia, who prosecution interposed no objection to and it was granted by the court.
At the pre-trial conference hearing, the prosecution was represented by City Solicitor, Attorney Wilson and Solicitor General Sayma Syrenius Cephas and Kano Wesso, while the defendant was represented by the Central law offices headed by Cllr. Jimmy Bombo.
The case revealed several notice of assignments and surety bonds filed in favor of defendant Gonquoi.
Meanwhile, sentence will be pronounced, pending pre-sentence investigation consistent with Chapter 31 section 31.5 of the Criminal procedure law. And the clerk of the Monrovia City Court was ordered to communicate with the probation office of Montserrado County to conduct pre-sentence investigation of the defendant within ten days as of the date of the judgement.”
But the defendant’s legal Counsel has taken exception to the ruling and promised to take advantage of the statute controlling.
“WHEREFORE and in view of the foregoing, coupled with facts and circumstances herein above it is the ruling of the court that defendant Gonquoi, John Doe I and John Doe Ii are guilty of the crime mentioned above in violation of Section 11.16,14.21 and 17.3 of the New penal code of the Republic of Liberia,” the court ruling says.