Cllr. Lafayette Gould Says: “I Did Not Receive Any Amount Above Cllr. Karnuah”
PHOTO: State Prosecutor Cllr. Larayette Gould
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
There is no letup in claims and counter claims over the way the controversial US$150,000.00 funds were expanded for the prosecution of the murder case of the late Charloe Musu., with a new revelation emerging from one of the Prosecution Lawyers at the Ministry of Justice.
The prosecution funds misappropriation scandal is being publicly played out in the absence of a new Attorney General and Minister of Justice as well as top officials yet to be confirmed and appointed in the new Unity Party government of President Joseph Boakai.
Outgoing Montserrado County Attorney Swahiilo, who accused prosecutors at the Ministry of Justice of misappropriating the money, has revealed that the Comptroller at the Justice Ministry Milton Gaye released the money to Solicitor General Nyanti Tuan, Cllr. Bobby Livingstone, Cllr. Adolphus Karnuah and Cllr. Lafayette Gould and several other prosecutors.
But in reaction to Sassy’s accusations, Cllr. Gould said the actual money was US$130,000, contrary to the claim that the money was US$150,000.
“I didn’t receive any amount above Cllrs. Karnuah, Livingstone, and the former SG’s office,” Cllr. Gould claimed.
According to him, if he were requested for more money, to be equal with Cllr. Karnuah, Livingstone and former Solicitor General Tuan, it wouldn’t have ever been accepted by them.
Cllr. Gould claimed that he received money but his share was lesser than the other prosecutors.
“If I were to request for the money to be divided evenly, it wouldn’t have been by accepted those guys on the team” he added.
He justified that “I worked for every dime that I received”.
He continued his justification how he was also part of the preparation of witnesses before trial. “I helped in the preparation of the evidence for discovery. So how someone say that I received money that I didn’t work for?
“I did the direct examination of the lead investigator in Anthony Blaye and I was in court when Zion Tarr and two others testified,” said Cllr. Gould,
He maintained: “All I know is that the money was given for the trial and we received some of it for our operation.”
For his part, Cllr. Bobby Livingstone in his recent press conference admitted of receiving US6,000 of his share of the prosecution fund in the Gloria Musu Scott murder trial.
Similarly, Cllr. Karnuah also admitted of receiving of US7,000.
He justified that the division of prosecution fund among prosecutors is not strange, but it is a normal stating that Money was given for the drug case; CBL L16bn, Cyber Mining, Angel Tokpah, Charles Julu, Judy Bryant and Snowe, and the Mercenary case. I can go on naming many cases. This is a normal practice.
However, Cllr. Gould disclosed that he received money from the prosecution fund of former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott murder trial but not equal to both Cllrs Karnuah and Livingstone.
“If the government believed that I deserve having huge amount, what’s the issue? If I got a dime, it means that I deserve it because of the role I played. “
“The only thing I will say is that I didn’t receive any amount above Cllrs. Kanuah, Livingstone, and the former Solicitor General’s office. It would have never been accepted by those guys on the team.” He concluded.