The Temple of Justice was a scene of attraction when the main suspect in the arson attack on the Capitol Building was released by Criminal Court “B” to seek medical treatment after he alleged that he was being tortured by state securities.
Suspect Thomas Etheridge was released following a writ of habeas corpus filed by his team of lawyers headed by Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi.
A writ of habeas corpus is a court order that requires the custodian of a person in custody to bring that person before a court. The purpose of the writ is to determine if the detention is lawful.
Moment after he was released to be taken to the hospital, a Writ of Arrest was issued on him by state lawyers when he allegedly fainted and was taken to the Ami Medical Center near the Stella Maris Polytechnic in Monrovia.
According to the petitioner, he was arrested by ERU police officers of co-respondent Liberian National Police on Wednesday December 18, 2024, between 6:10 A.M to 7:00 A.M right on Capitol Hill and taken to the headquarters of the Liberia National Police where he was immediately detained and apparently questioned and made to write statements regarding the knowledge and participation in an allegation of criminal offense contrary to law to performance and official duties.
Count two of the petition states that, the constitution requires 48 hours for security personnel to detain a suspect for criminal investigative reasons as required by law and yet still the respondents continue to have petitioner incarcerated and have unlawful inflicted torture and inhumane treatments upon him by the Liberia National Police and the National Security Agency up to and then including January 10, 2025 all done with the sole intent of compelling the petitioner to give false statements and evidence against himself which is incriminating, unconstitutional and contrary to law.
The petitioner said, after being detained by co-respondent LNP, the said, Liberia National police within 48 hours period now decided to turn him over to strange men believed to be from the National Security Agency and thereby restraint his liberty under the canopy of so-called criminal investigation and detention power which has violated his fundamental human and constitutional rights.
On the other hand, state lawyers (respondent) stated that as to count one of the petitioner respondent rejects the averment that Etheridge is a law-abiding citizen.
Respondent said, the said Etheridge is currently been investigated for his participation in the commission that threaten the National Security of Liberia.
As to count two of the petitioner’s petition, respondent said that the notion that Etheridge was arrested on Wednesday December 18, 2024, between the hours of 6:10-7:00 A.M as claimed in the petitioner petition is false and misleading, since in fact Etheridge was arrested in the latter part of last week in January 2025 particularly or specifically Friday January 10, 2025.
Regarding count three of the petitioner’s petition, respondent said, it is malicious for the petitioner to claim he has been compelled to make false statements against himself.
The respondent reminded the petitioner that the respondent/ Ministry of Justice, Liberia National Police and the National Security Agency are integrity institutions and as such, they are to apply professionalism in their respective duties.
As to count six and seven of petitioner’s petition, respondent says that it is unlawful for the petitioner’s counsels to claim that the Liberia National Police and the National Security Agency have circumvented the law and constitution and subjected the alleged suspect to torture and humane treatment among others.
Meanwhile, the court granted the Writ of habeas corpus filed by the suspect lawyers on grounds that the suspect should be taken to the hospital but prosecution said, they agreed in part with the judge’s ruling but wants the suspect to be under the authority of the court.
