As Final Verdict For Weeks, Other Ex-CBL Officials Set For Next Tuesday
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- In her final argument for the defense on Wednesday, former Chief Justice, Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott has pleaded with the Criminal Court ‘C’ for acquittal for former member of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) who are facing various criminal charges.
Cllr. Scott argued that they didn’t play any major role in the printing of the excess Liberian Dollars banknotes during the discharge of their duty.
The fate of former Central Bank of Liberia Governor Milton Weeks and other former top officials of the CBL in the excess printing of billions of billion Liberian dollar banknotes case will be decided next Tuesday, Criminal Court ‘C’ Judge Yarmie Quiqui Gbeisay announced on Wednesday.
After the final arguments, Judge Gbeihas set August 25, 2020 as the date the verdict will be handed down.
The former CBL officials including Liberia’s former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s son, Charles E. Sirleaf were indicted in June of 2019 for allegedly committing the crimes economic Sabotage, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal Facilitation. But later, the charge of money laundering was added.
In May this year, state lawyers dropped charges against son of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Charles E. Sirleaf who was the then Deputy Bank Governor for operations with prejudice to the state followed by formers Director of finance department, Dorbor M. Hagba, Richard H. Walker, director for operations and Joseph Dennis deputy director, internal audit.
State prosecutors during the final Argument in court said they have proved their case beyond all reasonable doubt and court should hold the defendants Milton A. Weeks, David Farhat, Kollie Tamba and Elsie Dossen Badio liable for the excess printing of the 10bn which 2.6 billion were accounted for.
According to state prosecutors, they produced witnesses to testified to the Presidential investigative Team report and other documents during the trial, adding that there was broad resolution signed for excess printing of the L$10 billion.
State prosecutors in their final argument said despite the excess printing of the L$ 10bn to remove mutilated legal banknotes, Liberians are still receiving mutilated Liberian dollar banknotes.
They are therefore requesting the court to take judicial notice of the legal memorandum file before the court in order to find the Defendants guilty all of charges levied against them.
While, former CBL Governor Weeks’ Lawyer, Cllr. Abraham Sillah said when a defendant is charged with an offense, it must be proved beyond all reasonable a practice of their law which the state prosecutors failed to do so.
Cllr. Sillah said, the crime theft of property one should be held for the crime theft property if it is a property owned by someone, or deprived another person from their property or covert it for your own personal use something that was proved by the state.
He argued that all charges levied against his client, Weeks, none was proved by the state and further request court to take judicial notice of their legal memorandum.
Also, former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott and other Lawyers for defendants David Farhat, Kollie Tamba and Elsie Dossen Badio said that the broad of Governors of the CBL didn’t play any major role in the printing of the excess Liberian Dollars banknotes during the discharge of their duty.
Cllr. Scott added that the Broad of Governors doesn’t participate in the day- to-day activities of the CBL, but rather meet four times in a year for meeting. “So how can they be a part?” she asked.
Justice Scott therefore asked the court to dismissed those charges against her clients and return their clients bonds.
The L$16 billion saga, ,which sparked huge protest named and style, “Bring Back Our Money” headed by Student Activist Martin K.N. Kollie in 2018 is now coming to an end.
Changes were dropped against Dorbor M. Hagba, Richard H. Walker and Joseph Dennis but it is yet to be known whether prejudice to the state or without prejudice to the state.
Charles E. Sirleaf and others Defendants charges were dropped in line with Chapter 18 section 18.1 of the Criminal procedure law which states.
The prosecuting attorney may by leave of court file a dismissal of an indictment or complaint or of a count contained therein as to either all or some of the defendants. The prosecution shall thereupon terminate to the extent indicated in the dismissal.
And it was granted by the Court.
Thereafter, new indictment was drawn against the former CBL broad of Governors including the then Governor Milton A. Weeks.
CBL Broad of Governors who are currently on trial for printing L$ 10bn without the approval of the Legislature are David M. Farhat, Elsie Dossen Badio, Kollie Tamba and Milton A. Weeks
The ex-CBL Broad of Governors were charged with the crimes of Economic Sabotage, theft of property, fraud on the internal revenue of Liberia, misuse of public money or fund, property or record, theft and or illegal disbursement of public money, Criminal Conspiracy and facilitation respectively.
During the trial proceedings, state lawyers produced two regular, five Subpoenaed and one rebuttal witnesses.
While, the defend lawyers produced, eight Subpoenaed, one expert and one general witnesses.
Both Kroll and Presidential investigative report showed that no money got missing at CBC but rather there were discrepancies and procedure errors that were not observed during the printing process of the money.
The former CBL officials were indicted by state for the crimes of Economic Sabotage, theft of property, fraud on the internal revenue of Liberia, Misuse of public money, property or record, theft and or illegal disbursement of public money, Criminal Conspiracy and Facilitation respectively.