Prospective Juror Arrested

By Ora Garway

A prospective juror in the ongoing jury selection trial involving some former National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) charged with economic sabotage, was yesterday arrested and is expected to appear today before court on allegation of falsity.

The prospective juror during the selection of jury yesterday at the Criminal Court “C” told one of the state prosecutors in person of Atty. Samuel K. Jacobs that his name was Victor Merchant.

But when pressed further as to whether he has another name other than Victor Merchant, he said no. It was at the time Atty. Jacobs called the names of Merchant's wife and daughter whose last name carried Seboe at he admitted bearing the name Seboe.

He pointed out that he was reared by a Merchant. He also said that he, his wife and daughter all bear the last name Merchant Seboe.

He was arrested as he left the bailiwick of the court and whisked off to the National Police Headquarter where he is undergoing investigation on the charge of falsity with governmental matters.

Meanwhile, the selection of petit jurors to hear the economic sabotage case involving five former NTGL officials charged with theft of property has gone more then three days with only eight being selected to serve as jurors.

The selection of jurors in this case is quite different from other cases as the prospective jurors are subject to what many called an “exam”. The prospective jurors are being asked to state their favorite subjects during their high school days.

They are even being given words to spell and numbers to write in words and figures among others.

The trial of the former officials cannot commence without a full panel of jurors to include 15 jurors, 12 regular and 3 alternate jurors who will listen to the case and come out with a verdict.

The clerk of court had on several occasions being ordered by the judge to summon bystanders to the court.

But interestingly, it seems as though the exercise that is being carried out to select jurors is scaring away prospective jurors. It was observed by this paper that some prospective jurors who listed their names were nowhere to be found as the sheriff called out the list of names.