Criminal Court ‘C’ at the Temple of Justice over the weekend acquitted the National Housing Authority boss Duannah Siryon along with his deputies, Tugbeh C. Tugbeh, Isaac Roberts, Augustine Weah and Emmanuel Tapsoba to be identified.
Their acquittal now leaves one person allegedly linked to the scandal, Augustine Weah at large.
Augustine Weah, who claims to be a cousin of President George Weah, a claim the Liberian government has since denied, is currently said to be in the United States. Mr. Weah told the Voice of America last week that he had complained the Minister of State and other Liberian officials of allegedly extorted money from housing investors but the Liberian leader failed to take action. Minister Nathaniel McGill some time ago denied soliciting bribe.
The former NHA boss and his deputies were indicted on December 14, 2018 by the Grand jury of Montserrado County for the alleged commission of multiple crimes ranging from Economic sabotage, theft of property, bribery, misapplication of entrusted property and criminal conspiracy.
The indictment drew by prosecution contained five counts and count one of the indictment charged co-defendant Duannah Siryon, Tugbeh Chieh Tugbeh, Isaac Togba Roberts Jr. Augustine Wesseh with the alleged commission of the crime of economic sabotage.
Count two of the indictment charged the four co-defendant above mentioned and co-defendant Emmanuel Tapsoba with the alleged crime of theft of property. While count three of the charged the five defendants above with the alleged crime of bribery and count four charged co-defendant Emmanuel Tapsoba, with the commission of the crime misapplication of entrusted property and count five charged all of the five defendants with the alleged commission of the crime of criminal conspiracy.
According to the indictment drew by prosecution that on August 16, 2018 at the Royal Grand Hotel in Monrovia, Liberia received bribe of US $1,000.00 from Co-defendant Augustine W. Weah and also received bribe of US$80,000.00 on September 16, 2018 from co-defendant Emmanuel Tapsoba. This amount was out of 92,000.00 that was brought into the Republic of Liberia by co-defendant Emmanuel Tapbsoba and Benao Bazonon, alias Baz of GELPAZ IMMO, SA; a construction company doing business and existing under the laws of Burkina Faso that came to the Republic of Liberia to conduct feasibility studies for the construction of 50,000 housing units, along the Robert International Airport highway, Margibi County.
US $20,000.00 out of the US 80,000.00 received by co-defendant Duannah Siryon was given to co-defendant Augustine W. Weah for safe keeping. The The indictment also alleged that co-defendant Emmanuel Tapsoba, former coordinator of GELPAZ IMMO SA and vice president for Administration assigned in Liberia, departed Burkina Faso on September 15, 2018 and arrived in Monrovia on September 16, 2018 with initial amount of US $50,000.00 for the project.
Furthermore, the indictment alleged that Benao Bazonon, alias Baz a staff of the company departed Burkina Faso on September 23, 2018 and arrived in Monrovia on September 24, 2018 with final amount of US $ 42, 000.00 making a grand total of US $ 92, 000.00 that was brought into the Republic of Liberia for the project by both Benao Bazonon, SA alias Baz and Co defendant Emmanuel Tapsoba respectively. However, the US 42,000.00 was turned over to co-defendant Emmanuel Tapsoba and he gave same to co-defendant Augustine W. Weah in the presence of Benao Bazonon alias Baz.
Narrating further, the indictment alleged that Co defendant Tugbeh C. Tugbeh and Isaac T. Roberts Jr. visited Burkina Faso to conduct feasibility studies on the project from July 1, 2018 to July 6, 2018 and from October 14 to 20, 2018, respectively and solicited and received bribes. Co-defendant Tugbeh C. Tugbeh received bribe of CFA 210,000.00 which is equivalent to US$ 400.00 while, Co-defendant Isaac Roberts Jr. received bribe of CFA 250, 000.00 equivalent to US $ 500.00.
Co-dedendants Duannah Siryon, Tugbeh C. Tugbeh, Isaac T. Roberts and Augustine W. Weah were arrested by the Liberia National police, investigated and forwarded to the Monrovia City court and were later detained at the Monrovia Central prison but we’re released on criminal appearance bonds.
The indictment said both Augustine W. Weah and and Emmanuel Tapsoba escaped from the bailiwick of the Republic of Liberia to the United States prior to the intervention of Liberia National police. The defendants were arraigned before open court and they all pleaded not guilty. During the hearing of the case, state prosecution two regular witnesses namely Raffell A. Dash Wilson, Chief of special investigation Unit, Liberia National police and Monroe A. Dennis II chief of General investigation section of the Liberia National police with one rebuttal witness identified as Jacob J. Suah.
Regular witnesses Raffell A. Dash Wilson and Monroe A. Dennis testified to the allegations and averments laid and contained in the indictment. The two witnesses also testified to the facts and circumstances in the case. The indictment was also testified to, identified, recognized and marked by court confirmed and reconfirmed respectively. They submitted to the jury De facto to determine their weight and credibility and give unto them the probation value that they deserved.
While the defense produced three witnesses namely Duannah Siryon, Tugbeh C. Tugbeh and Isaac T. Roberts Jr. The defendant in their testimonies confirmed, affirmed and maintained their not guilty plea.
The defendants denied all the allegations averments laid and contained in the indictment and also testified that the allegations leived against them are false and misleading and intended to tarnish their reputations they have built over the years. Criminal Court C at the Temple of Justice who is in the vanguard and the fight against rampant corruption in the country.
Accordingly, the courts continue to hear cases involving politically exposed peesons(PEP) and nonpolitically exposed persons (NPEP) for theft and corruption related offenses and have convicted some of them.
The criminal court said, the Ministry of Justice has been exerting its outmost best in that direction but to convict the three innocent defendants in the dock without any iota and scintilla of evidence adduced by the prosecution for alleged multiple crimes that they did not do and commit would be tantamount to a miscarriage of Justice.
Criminal Court C said the indictment against the defendants is fatally defective and prosecution did not prove the essential elements of the alleged multiple crimes levied against the defendants beyond a reasonable doubt.
The court therefore refused to hold the defendants, because there is no probable cause for them be held for the alleged charges preferred against them. Criminal Court C added that the defendants were not guilty of the crimes economic sabotage, theft of property, misapplication of entrusted property, bribery and criminal conspiracy.
All their rights have been restored, the ruling of the court said. Report by Garmah Never Lomo