Trial Resumes For NTGL Officials Today

By Ora Garway

The theft case involving former Finance Minister Lusinee Kamara and his principle deputies in the erstwhile Transitional Government of Liberia will commence today with the selection of jurors at the Criminal Court “C” presided over by Judge Samuel Geevon Smith.

The trial was halted this week after the court disqualified a list of petit jurors because it was not consistent with the law.

Defense Lawyers Theophilus Gould requested the court not to allow the clerk read a list of jurors that was in the clerk's possession.

Cllr. Gould contended that the court first do an inspection of quarterly listing of persons submitted by municipal authorities to the court to serve as jurors. He requested the inspection of 42 persons that were selected for that quarter as required by law.

In the absence of municipal authority and subsequent summon, Gould prayed the court to revert to the statute for the purpose of forming a jury for the trial.

The clerk in his report stated that he did not prepare any summon nor did he receive listing from municipal authorities.

Judge Geevon-Smith ordered the clerk to solicit a list of prospective jurors from municipal heads and summon those whose names will be on the list for selection of the trial jury. The clerk was given 3 days which ended yesterday.

Those indicted for theft of property by the Liberian Government include Lusinee Kamara, former Minister of Finance, Tugbe N. Doe, Deputy for Administration, and Albert E.N. Quaye, Chief of Anti-Fraud at the Ministry of Finance. Others are Pyne Wallo, Deputy Minister for Expenditure and Debt Management and Tapple E. Doe, former member of the Transitional Assembly.

They are accused of defrauding the Liberian Government of more than US$3million and L$11million during their tenure with the National Transitional Government of Liberia, which was headed by Gyude Bryant. Bryant himself has been indicted twice.

They are being represented by Cllrs. Charles Abdullai, Beyan Howard and Momodu Jawanda among others.

The state was represented during the first appearance by Justice Minister Philip Banks, Solicitor General Tiawon Gongloe, Michael Wilkins Wright, and all prosecuting attorneys of the Justice Ministry.