PHOTO: Late Alexander Saye, Police Regional Commander
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
The Ministry of Justice under the leadership of Liberia’s Justice Minister and Attorney General, Frank Musa Dean has become a complete toothless bulldog, with some state prosecutors allegedly being involved in corrupt acts and going unpublished.
The Minister of Justice on several occasions has let state prosecutors go untouched, whenever there are controversies surrounding cases which end up in the media against some of his state prosecutors. In some cases, no investigation is initiated to ascertain the truth from the issue.
One of such instances is the case involving the recent alleged killing of Police Regional Commander, Alexander Saye in the southeastern Grand Gedeh County, where state prosecutors were exposed by the judge for compromising the case.
Commander Saye after he was killed
First, they (state prosecutors) are said to have asked the Judge to the defendant Sampson Pennue on bail and thereafter went filing a bogus motion for the judge to rescue himself from the case on ground that he will be one sided.
Based on state prosecutors’ bogus motion for recusal and the subsequent prevention for some state prosecutors not to sit over the case by some police officers who went to testify in the case involving the police regional commander case, judge Wollor denied said motion. And he brought to light what led to the defendant being placed on bond.
Following the police officers’ refusal to testify in their colleague Alexander Saye murder case, the Police Inspector General Patrick Sudue on August 27,2021, wrote a complain to the Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean about the manner in which their colleague murder case was handled by state prosecutors.
In his complaint, IG Sudue informed the Justice Minister to file a motion through his prosecutors for the presiding Judge Sikajibo Wollor to rescue himself from the case, after he colluded with state prosecutors to release defendant Sampson Pennue on bail and also a motion for change of venue. But since the complaint was written, the Minister of Justice is yet to respond to the police IG’s complaint. Neither has he punished those involved in the alleged act.
An authority of the Supreme Court told www.newspublictrust.com that one of those Ministers from the Ministry of Justice told him verbally, but he said the Minister was asked to write a formal complaint to the Judiciary concerning the Judge Wollor’s behavior in handling the police regional commander’smurder case, absolutely no one from the Justice Ministry ever wrote the judiciary against Judge Wollor’s behavior for the Judiciary to take action against the judge.
RULING OF JUDGE SIKAJIBO WOLLOR in the Police Regional Commander murder case for which Minister Dean didn’t take action.
How did defendant Sampson Pennue get released on bail in June 10, 2021?
The assigned Circuit Court Judge of the 7th Judicial Circuit Court in Zwedru City, Sikajipo Wollor Grand Gedeh County has been making startling revelations of how he was pressured to put the indicted murder suspect on bail.
Judge Wollor’s revelation came as the result of a motion of recusal filed by state lawyers on ground that he (Wollor) will not be neutral, but the Judge said his home was visited by some Lawyers to persuade him to put the murder suspect on bail.
Count two of state lawyer motion for recusal says that your Honor having listened to the evidence in this case from the state by holding that the presumption is not great is a clear indication that your cannot be impartial also prosecution further told Judge Wollor that you are the presiding Judge who granted the defendant bail and also ruled that there is no presumption to hold the defendant that a neutral judge hear this case.
Prosecution cites the case Republic of Liberia vs Harmon 5LLR page 300, Syl.5 the case victor Logan vs. Republic of Liberia 33LLR page 434,Syl. 8.
In resisting the prosecution motion for recusal, one of Counsels for the defendant said that the application was made by prosecution because of the legal and factual reasons.
That is clear during the hearing of the motion to admit defendant to bail the presumption was not great and evidence is not proof and as such the bail was granted.
That the application fielded by the County Attorney is intended to buffer and delay the trial of these proceedings and as such, the defendant will suffer for nothing.
The defense therefore requested the court to earnestly, respectfully prayed court to deny the motion filed by state lawyers and proceed with the hearing of the case.
In his ruling on the motion filed by state lawyers, Judge Sikajibo A. Wollor said, HE WHO COMES WITH EQUITY, MUST COME WITH CLEAN HANDS.
Prosecution visited Judge’s house
According to Judge Wollor, during the February 2021, A.D term of Court, immediately after the receipt of his assignment for the May A.D 2021 Term of Court, Atty. Isaac B. Williams County Attorney and his deputy Joseph G. Suah both of the 7th Judicial Circuit Court for Grand Gedeh County visited his house in Margibi County.
The purpose of their visit was to place the defendant on bond and his answer to them was before he placed the defendant on bond, the charge must be changed to manslaughter. And upon the resumption of the May term of Court, both the public defenders and County Attorney emeritus Cllr. Adolphus Karnuah assembled in his Chambers that he should place the defendant on bond, Judge Wollor added.
Judge Wollor further narrated that he went through the resistant of Cllr. Karnuah, especially to count three of that resistant made reference to the court file.
And his question to Cllr. Karnuah was, you want for defendant Sampson Pennue to be placed on bond and in count three, you made reference to the court file but it was defense lawyer Morias Waylee who told Cllr. Karnuah that since you want the defendant Pennue to be placed on bond, delete the portion that made reference to the case file, hence, because of the delectation of count three in the resistance that made reference to the file; hence Defendant Pennue was placed on bond Judge, Wollor narrated.
Further to his ruling, Judge Wollor said, County Attorney, you knew that my neutrality has been questioned why, you allow this court to arraign the defendant before court and the defendant pleaded not guilty to the indictment; and if you knew that my neutrality was questionable you should not have allow the defendant to be arraign before court.
The Court says that when there is a reading of the indictment and the defendant told court that he is not guilty, it closes all motions. Therefore, the County Attorney suffers waiver and laches.
Judge Wollor further explained that the County Attorney after he had made the motion for the reading of the indictment and the defendant said, “I am not guilty” that stands serves as a denouement to all motions.
The 7th Judicial Circuit Court Judge said hence, the motion made for the court to reuse herself after the indictment has been read to the defendant and pleaded not guilty, it closes all motions, hence the county attorney suffers waivers and laches, hence the case is hereby ordered proceeded with.
Police took exception
But prosecution took exception to the ruling and gave notice to But prosecution took exception to the ruling and gave notice to court that it will take advantage of statute controlling.
State prosecutors also requested court for continuance into the matter and said it couldn’t proceed with the case because it has been practically impossible to get prosecution principle witnesses to come to Court especially the police forensic Investigator and those witnesses named in the indictment which includes DCP Emmanuel D. Jlikan, Abu B. Daramy and ACP Moore A. Dennis who did the forensic investigation.
Police authority dispatched their police investigators who investigated the case to testify into their colleague murder case but they didn’t testify today on ground that the case has been tempered and they can’t sit and allow their colleague for free.
State witnesses were expected to start testifying on August 25, 2021 into the Police Regional Commander Alexander Saye’s murder case. But they refused to appear in court based on alleged tempering with their colleague murder case.
As for the Liberia’s Solicitor General Sayma Syrenius Cephas has been accused of being the mastermind of the released of defendant Sampson Pennue, when this reporter engaged him on the allegation, he said to hell with the person who gave me the information.
Recently, the Liberia’s Solicitor General was heard in an audio recording in conversation with an indictee, Ellen Corkrum accusing him of being involved with ritualistic killings which was a conflict of interest and said allegations was never investigated by Ministry of Justice concerning his conflict of interest with madam Corkrum.
Another Ruling went unnoticed by the Ministry of Justice in 2020, in Barrobo Murder case.
In his ruling, Judge Smith noted that on the request of Prosecution, represented by the Assistant Minister for Litigation at the Justice Ministry, the case was assigned for hearing on Monday, November 16,2020 at 10 am.
But prior to the scheduled date for trial, on November 13, 2020, @2:13pm, he received a call from Cllr. Wesseh informing him that the Solicitor General Cllr. Syrenius Cephus requested for his phone number, in order to speak with him about his desire to file a motion for change of venue in this case. Ministry, Cllr. Wesseh A. Wesseh, the case was assigned for hearing on Monday, November 16,2020 at 10 am.
But prior to the scheduled date for trial, on November 13, 2020, @2:13pm, he received a call from Cllr. Wesseh informing him that the Solicitor General Cllr. Syrenius Cephas requested for his phone number, in order to speak with him about his desire to file a motion for change of venue in this case.
Judge Smith said he however, told Cllr. Wesseh that he didn’t need his approval to give the Honorable Solicitor General his numbers and that the Solicitor General did not also need to consult the presiding Judge before filling a motion for change of venue.
Some four hours and thirty-seven ( 4:37 Mins) after he spoke with Cllr. Wesseh, the Judged said he again received a call @6:50PM from the public defender Atty. Jerome Pour informing him again that the Solicitor General Syrenius Cephas requested his number.
Atty. Pour hinted him that Solicitor General wanted to file a motion for Change of venue in this case, but he (Judge Smith) told Atty. Pour that his consent was not necessary to give the Solicitor General his numbers and that his consent or approval was not required for the Solicitor General to file an application for Change of venue.
Fifteen (15) minutes after speaking with public defender Atty. Pour, he received a call from the Solicitor General Syrenius Cephas at 7:05PM ” saying, “Hi, your Honor. This is the Solicitor General of Liberia Cllr. Cephas. You’d know I am from River Gee County. Your Honor I would like to interface with you and he judge returned his greeting and stated I know that you from RiverGee County.”
Some four hours and thirty-seven (4:37 mins) after he spoke with Cllr. Wesseh, the Judged said he again received a call @6:50PM from the public defender Atty. Jerome Pour informing him again that the Solicitor General Syrenius Cephas requested his number.
Atty. Pour hinted him that Solicitor General wanted to file a motion for Change of venue in this case, but he (Judge Smith) told Atty. Pour that his consent was not necessary to give the Solicitor General his numbers and that his consent or approval was not required for the Solicitor General to file an application for Change of venue.
Fifteen (15) minutes after speaking with public defender Atty. Pour, he received a call from the Solicitor General Syrenius Cephas at 7:05PM” saying, “Hi, your Honor. This is the Solicitor General of Liberia Cllr. Cephas. You’d know I am from River Gee County. Your Honor I would like to interface with you and he judge returned his greeting and stated I know that you from RiverGee County.”
Some four hours and thirty-seven ( 4:37 Mins) after he spoke with Cllr. Wesseh, the Judged said he again received a call @6:50PM from the public defender Atty. Jerome Pour informing him again that the Solicitor General Syrenius Cephas requested his number.
Atty. Pour hinted him that Solicitor General wanted to file a motion for Change of venue in this case, but he (Judge Smith) told Atty. Pour that his consent was not necessary to give the Solicitor General his numbers and that his consent or approval was not required for the Solicitor General to file an application for Change of venue.
Fifteen (15) minutes after speaking with public defender Atty. Pour, he received a call from the Solicitor General Syrenius Cephas at 7:05PM ” saying, “Hi, your Honor. This is the Solicitor General of Liberia Cllr. Cephas. You’d know I am from River Gee County. Your Honor I would like to interface with you and he judge returned his greeting and stated I know that you from RiverGee County.”
Apparently not understanding what he, Judge Smith said, Cllr. Cephas replied:” I don’t go to places like RiverGee (place believed to be his home town). I send my under men there. Your Honor where do you live? I would like to see you personally”.
But as he was indisposed to meet Cllr. Cephas personally, he told him that they could talk on the phone but Cllr. Cephas declined for reason that it was personal”.
After said conversation, he (Judge Smith) gave his WhatsApp number on his request but the 13th of November he and Cllr Cephas have not talked and Cllr. Cephas has not called him neither did he call Cllr. Cephas. Indeed, Cllr. Cephas sounded megalomaniac when he uttered these words: this is Solicitor General of Liberia and Chief Prosecutor of the Republic of Liberia” I don’t go to places like RiverGee County. I send my under men there.