PHOTO: Cllr. Wesseh A. Wesseh
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
MONROVIA, Liberia- One of the state Lawyers and Assistant Minister for Litigation at the Justice Ministry, Cllr. Wesseh A. Wesseh is calling for life sentence for the three convicts in the just-ended German National murder trial.
Jurors last Thursday, December 30, 2021 handed down a unanimous guilty verdict for the three Liberian men charged with murder and armed robbery at the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Margibi County.
On January 22, 2020, the German national Juergen Schedema was shot during an armed robbery attack at his logging compound in Big Joe Town near the port city of Buchanan. They shot the German national and made away with several valuable items which led to the company break down.
Slain German national, Juergen Schedema
The three convicts are James Kollie, alias “Depree”, Emmanuel Kollie, alias “Porleh” and Joseph Cole, alias “Joe Cole”.
In an interview with www.newspublictrust.com, Assistant Minister Wesseh said that if life sentence is given to those defendants, it will serve as deterrence for would be armed robbers who are causing insecurity for both citizens and investors.
According to the leading state Prosecutor, since Liberia is a signatory to a treaty, which prevents death penalty, the convicts should be given life sentence so as they won’t outside again to be more terrible then before.
The Assistant Justice Minister for Litigation revealed that numerous armed robberies in the country continue to scare investors and citizens who are abroad and wanting to return in the country. Due to the disturbing news of arm robberies, they are unable to return to their mother land.
Furthermore, Cllr. Wesseh said the Justice Ministry remains proactive in adjudicating cases against alleged murderers and armed robbers to eliminate crimes in the country and make this country save for people wanting to invest in Liberia.
According to him, the state proved its case against the three convicted murderers of the German nation beyond reasonable doubt, with overwhelming evidence in court against the convicts.
The convicts were indicted during the February A.D. 2020 term of court by the ground jury of Grand Bassa County but the case was taken from the second judicial circuit court and transferred to the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Kakata, Margibi County. The transfer was based on change of venue filed by the defendants on ground that they were already pre-judged by the citizens of Grand Bassa County.
They were indicted for the crime of murder, armed robbery and criminal conspiracy.
Meanwhile, the convicts are expected to be shortly sentenced, after a pre-sentence report from the probation office at the Ministry of Justice.