PHOTO: L-R, Cllr. Frederick Jayweh, Ex-Defense Min. Brownie Samukai
By Our Staff Writer
Liberian Human rights lawyer Frederick Jayweh says the conviction of former Defense Minister Brownie Samukai and two ex-senior Defense Ministry officials meets every element of the laws of Liberia.
Former Minister J. Brownie Samukai, Jr., Deputy Minister for Operation Joseph F. Johnson and Comptroller James Nyumah Dorkor, were convicted by the Criminal Court ‘C’ last Monday, March 24, 2020 of Theft of Property, Misuse of public money and Criminal Conspiracy, in the amount of uS$1.3 million from the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) pension Saving account.
Samukai served all the 12 years in the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
He and the two other Defense Ministry officials have been required to restitute the amount.
The prominent Liberian human rights lawyer added that “anything to the contrary, offends the laws and practice in Liberia.”
But Defense Lawyers have taken exception to the ruling and have announced that they will file Appeal to the Supreme Court of Liberia.
Cllr. Jayweh, Director of International Affairs at the Africa Center for Law and Human Rights believes that because the condemned three former officials “knowingly, collectively and separately withdrew US$1.9M out of the private account of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Criminal Court ‘C’, was well within its right and authority to convict Mr. J. Browne Samukai, Jr., Joseph F. Johnson and James Nyumah Dorkor guilty as charged,” Cllr. Jayweh said in a statement released to www.newspublictrust.com on Friday March 27, 2020.
He explained that unlike the President, former Minister Samukai and the other officials don’t enjoy presidential imunity.
Quoting the law, he said, “Mr. Samukai, Johnson and Dorkor, were not agents of President Johnson Sirleaf and such, they acted willfully and criminally and thus their action was illegal and not protected by the Constitution of Liberia.”
Criminal Court ‘C’, presided over by Judge Yamie Gbeisay, said there has not been sufficient evidence to convict the former Defense officials of the crimes of Money laundering and Economic Sabotage.
“Wherefore and in view of the foregoing,” the Criminal Court’s Ruling says they “are hereby adjudged guilty of the crimes of Theft of Property, Misuse of Public money and Criminal Conspiracy. The defendants are hereby ordered to restitute the amount of US$687,656.35 to the AFL pension Saving account and US$ 460,000.00 to the government of Liberiaaccount, making a sum of US$1,147,665.35.”
However two other charges against Samuka and the two others could not be proven. Therefore, Judge Gbeisay in his ruling said:
“This court having not seen enough evidence of Economic Sabotage and Money laundering, the both charges are hereby ordered dismissed.”