PHOTO: Two of the suspects who broke record in the scale of narcotic drugs seizure in Liberia
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.co
The Liberia National Police over the weekend forwarded to court t suspects involved in the $100 Million cocaine saga, this West African nation’s largest illicit drugs bust to date.
And the culprits have now charged with drugs trafficking, money laundering, Criminal Conspiracy and criminal facilitation amongst others crimes, after their arrests on October 1, 2022.
The crackdown, which was largely made possible with extensive assistance from United States security apparatus from the point of departure in South America up to arrival in Monrovia, came amid repeated calls on Liberian Lawmakers to strengthen and pass the country’s drugs law by making the crime nonbailable.
The defendants, who appeared in the Monrovia City Court on Friday, November 4, 2022, were charged following the denial of a writ of habeas corpus filed to Judge Roosevelt Willie of Criminal Court “A”, by lawyers representing the defendants; who argued that the cocaine suspects were detained for more than 48 hours as enshrined in Article 21 (f) of the constitution of Liberia without being charged and based on said provision, they should be released and placed under their supervision.
In their petition filed to the court, defense lawyers prayed the court grant the writ of habeas corpus; thus releasing their clients to them, until charges are made and they are forwarded to a court of competent jurisdiction.
In their argument, prosecution lawyers headed by deputy Minister of Justice and Solicitor General designate Cllr. Nyenti Tuan told the court that the defendants were kept for more than 48 hours but said it was based on security reasons.
The Judge however in his ruling quoted Article 21 section g of the constitution which states ” the right to habeas corpus, being essential to the protection of human rights shall be guaranteed at all times and any person arrested or detained and not presented to court within the period specified may in consequence exercise this right”.
According to judge Willie, though the law recognizes the importance of the Writ of habeas corpus, which he called the ” Great Writ”, he revealed that there are exceptions though not stated, re implemented, especially when the detention of an accused borders around National Security issues.
The Judge however, quashed the request and urged the state to forward the accused to court at the same time requesting the petitioners to file a Bill of information before the court on or before Monday, November, 7, 2022.
Those involved include three foreign nationals; Makki Ahmed Issam, Adulai Djibril Djalo and a Liberian identified as Oliver Allen Zayzay.
The Crimes committed by the defendants contravenes Chapter 14, Sections 14.101, 107and 111; Chapter 10 Sections 10.2 and 10.4 respectively of the New Penal Code law of Liberia
According to police charge sheet in the possession of www.newspublictrust.com,, defendant Malam, Conte a 31-year-old Guinea Bissau national was arrested on October 1, 2022, when he had gone to purchase the container bearing MNBU4070592 with five hundred and twenty kilograms (520kgs) of cocaine worth over $100 million, that was shipped to the Compound of SONIT Liberia Corporation, located in Topoe Village, suburb of Monrovia.
He had with him the amount of $200 thousand which was given to him by Codefendant Djalo, in order to purchase the container.
During an indepth investigation, after his arrest, defendant Conte told investigators that he and co- defendant Adulai Djibril Djalo, left Guinea Bissau and arrived in Monrovia on September 19, 2022, with the intention to collect the cocaine container from it arrival point.
Like with defendant Conte, on Thursday October 6, 2022, Makki Ahmed Issam, a Lebanese national residing on 21 street Sinkor, was arrested along with Codefendants Adulai D. Djalo and Oliver Allen Zayzay, who were turned over to the Police with help from the Sierra Leonean government, who initially arrested the suspects while they were fleeing the country.
Liberian authorities on October 1, 2022, confirmed that they had seized some $100 million worth of cocaine, with help from the United States’ international narcotics agency.
During that time, the Justice Minister, Musa Dean informed reporters that the national Drug Enforcement Agency, with help from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, had made the seizure on October 1,2022 at the SONIT Liberia Corporation compound in Topoe village on the Japan Freeway, a suburb of the capital, Monrovia.
During that period, defendant Malam Conte was arrested while trying to retrieve the container from the entity and subsequent arrest was made by the LNP
The drugs were confiscated and burnt by the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency and other security apparatus within the country with help from the US Embassy in Monrovia.
Meanwhile, the defendants have been sent to the Monrovia Central Prison and they are awaiting to be tried in a court of competent jurisdiction.