By Grace Q. Bryant
Lawyers representing the defendants in US$100 million drugs case have filed a Bill of information to the Criminal Court ‘C’ against the Ministry of Justice and the Central Bank of Liberia over the prosecution’s refusal to pay the amount of US$113,045 requested by the Justice in Chamber at the Supreme Court.
The Bill of Information was filed through Cllr. Wilkins Wright, requesting the court to cite the acting Minister of Justice, Cllr. Nyenati Tuan to show cause why they should not be held in contempt for failing to comply with the court’s order of June 1, 2023 to pay the full amount of US$113,045 on June 13.
Cllr. Wright also request the court to cite officials of the Central Bank of Liberia to appear in court with the said amount of US$113,045 placed in the Escrow Account of the National Joint Security which CBL confirmed is in its custody.
The bill of information noted that the Ministry of Justice was given 12 days to submit the money to the court, noting that the 12 days period was more than sufficient because all the Ministry of Justice needed to do was to withdraw the amount from the Central Bank since there was evidence that said amount was deposited at the central Bank.
‘’That recourse to the records in this case further shows that the subject amount of US$113,045 confiscated from the Defendants/Informants by state Joint security officers of the Ministry of Justice was made known to this Court by the Ministry of Justice on Tuesday, December 20, 2022 during the disclosure of evidence by the Ministry of Justice. The respondent made submission to this court in which it disclosed that the amount of US$113,000 was confiscated by the joint security forces who arrested Co-Defendant, Malam Conte,’’ the defendants noted.
In addition to the amount US$113,045, the respondent in its submission also told the court that, “The amount of US$11,000 was confiscated from the person of co-defendant Oliver A. Zayzay in the Republic of Sierra Leone
The defense lawyer observed that the act of the Ministry of Justice to intentionally ignore the court to bring the amount of US$113,045 on Tuesday, June 13, is an act which belittles and degraded and embarrassed the court in the Administration of Justice, noting that such act makes it to appear as though the Ministry of Justice is above the law and has no respect for the court.
‘’Justice has admitted through documentary evidence that Ministry the US$113,045 available in its Bank Account and is willing to make the amount available. Its failure to bring said amount to this court was deliberate and without any legal and factual justification for which the court holds Cllr. Nyenati Tuan, Solicitor General, R.L., Acting Minister of Justice in contempt of court for out rightly disrespecting this court’s order.
‘’Because of the financial role played by Central Bank of Liberia in serving as custodian of this money, it has become a party of interest for the release of this money and in order for informant to get complete relief to the release of the money, not only must the Ministry of Justice appear in court, but also the authorities of the Central Bank of Liberia must be invited to provide information about the status of the money in question,’’ the lawyer noted.
