Journalist's Rape Case Suffers Delay

By Ora Garway

The alleged rape and sodomy case involving Liberian Journalist Bill Jarkloh last Friday failed to get underway due to the absent of Wondah Sondah, Acting Stipendiary Magistrate of the Monrovia City Court.

During the initial appearance of Jarkloh last week, he requested for preliminary hearing which was granted by the court. The case was scheduled for last Friday.

The hearing was assigned for 10am. The defendant along with his lawyers and the alleged victim were in court. Both parties waited for hours for the magistrate to appear but to no avail.

Defendant Jarkloh holding a Holy Bible in his hand sat patiently on the prisoner bench.

At about 2pm, the magistrate finally appeared at the court but instead went into hearing other cases. When reporters who curiously converged at the court to hear the case contacted him why he could not go into the case, he complaint of his ill health.

He said he had gone to seek medication. When further quizzed as to why he was in court since he was not well, he said, “I am all right now because I went to the hospital and was given medicine, the case is now schedule for Monday”.

Bill Jarkloh is represented by Cllr. Dempster Browne. Journalist Jarkloh is being held for allegedly raping an eight years old girl but has since denied the allegation.

He said the allegation is a conspiracy against him to destroy his future. He said “I am still in detention but the fact remains that I am innocent and I am being humiliated by a conspiracy against me just to tarnish my good repetition which I worked hard to build over these years”.