By: Frank P. Martin
MONROVIA: Criminal Court “C” Judge, Blamo Dixon, has ordered state prosecutors to disclose and surrender to Defense Lawyers all species of Evidence and Instruments that the Prosecution intends to use against former Finance and Development Planning Minister, Samuel D. Tweah Jr. and four other former government officials on corruption related charges.
Judge Dixon also ordered that the evidence should be released to Defense Lawyers during the Trial on or before November 11, 2024.
Former Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel Tweah, ; former National Security Advisor to ex-President George Weah, Jefferson Karmoh; former Solicitor-General of Liberia, Nyanti Tuan; former Director-General of the state-owned Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA), Stanley Ford, and former Comptroller of FIA, D. Moses P. S. Cooper, have been charged by the State with multiple crimes including economic sabotage, money laundering, and theft of public funds in the amount of US$500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand (USD).
Judge Dixon pointed out that the November Term of Court shall commence on November 11, 2024, for which the Clerk of Court has been ordered to have the said Case docketed for the November Term of Court.
Meanwhile, hearing into motion filed by State Prosecutors against the US$8 million ( Eight Million Dollars) bond filed by former Finance Minister Tweah could not proceed on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, following series of alleged legal mistakes contained in the motion.
The State had filed a Motion, titled: “Action to Justify Surety,” against the bond, which Lawyers representing the defendants: Samuel D. Tweah, Jr., former Finance and Development Planning Minister had since argued is legal.
Criminal Court “C” Judge, Blamo Dixon, on Wednesday, October 9, declined to hear the separate Exceptions to the Defendant’s Criminal Appearance Bonds and the separate Motions for Justifications of Sureties.
Judge Blamo Dixon cited reasons. He noted that the case involving Defendant Tweah and other co-Defendants, are not on the Docket for the August Term of Court.
Judge Dixon further explained that the Case was transferred from the First Judicial Circuit Criminal Court, Montserrado County, to the Criminal Court “C” on September 6, 2024, which was the same day the Jury sat for about one month.
According to the Court, the Prosecution and the Defense Team failed to file a Motion to Advance the Case on the Docker for the August Term of Court, which shows that the Case is not docketed for the August Term Court.
He asserted that the August Term of Court has been closed for transactions of Business since September 31, 2004; the same being the 40 Day’s Jury sitting.
“That is to say, the Judge is out of Term Time or his Assignment to preside over the Criminal Court “C” has expired pending new Assignment from the Chief Justice of the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia,” Judge Dixon asserted.
Furthermore, the Closing Chambers Session of the Court which is only for Ten (10) Days commenced on Tuesday, October 1, 2004, and the Court has already exhausted Eight (8) Days remaining to close the Closing Chambers Session of the Court and the entire august Term of Court.
Hence, the stage that the Case is in now does not fall in the category of Cases that require appealing to the Chief Justice of the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia for Extension of time, because the Case is new.
Judge Dixon bolstered that the Indictment was drawn up on September 5, 2024, by the Grand Jury of Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia, sitting in its August Term, and the court is poised to have the case docketed for the November Term.
Therefore, in the absence of the Motion to Advance the said case on the docket for the August Term of Court, Judge Dixon narrated that the filing of such a motion is “late and moot.”
He pointed out that the November Term of Court shall commence on November 11, 2024, for which the Clerk of Court has been ordered to have the said Case docketed for the November Term of Court.
“The Clerk of Court is also ordered to issue a Notice of Assignment for the hearing of Prosecution’s separate Exceptions to the Defendants Criminal Appearance Bonds and the separate Motions for Justifications of Sureties filed on behalf of the Defendants,” Judge Dixon said.
As a result of these legal drawbacks, Judge Dixon said the Court is indisposed to hear the said Exceptions and its adjuncts.
The Court further announced that the commencement of said hearing will be on November 12