Monrovia – Six defendants accused of a number of fees, together with arson and tried homicide, in reference to the December 2024 Capitol Constructing fireplace, have petitioned the Supreme Court docket of Liberia to overturn a number of rulings made by Legal Court docket “A” Choose Roosevelt Z. Willie, claiming their constitutional proper to bail is being violated.
By Willie N. Tokpah
Of their petition for a writ of certiorari, filed earlier than Justice Wolokolie, the defendants — Christian Kofa, John Nyanti, Eric Susay, Thomas Isaac Etheridge, and Stephen Broh — argued that Choose Willie unlawfully saved them in detention regardless of approving their bail bond and requiring them to supply human sureties.
In keeping with courtroom paperwork, the defendants’ attorneys secured and filed a legitimate felony look bond, which Choose Willie initially accredited. Nonetheless, the decide refused to order their launch, selecting as an alternative to await the prosecution’s formal exceptions to the bond. The prosecution subsequently challenged the bond’s validity, prompting a drawn-out authorized battle.
The petitioners contend that Choose Willie’s refusal to launch them, coupled along with his acceptance of latest proof from the Liberia Income Authority (LRA) after the protection had rested its case, constitutes a violation of their constitutional rights. In addition they accused the decide of bias, citing his personal previous statements that his life was threatened as a result of Capitol fireplace case.
“The conduct of the Choose in refusing to launch the defendants from detention after he had beforehand accredited their Bail Bond … is in gross violation of the Defendants’ constitutional rights to bail and the prohibition in opposition to imposing extreme bail or inflicting extreme punishment,” the petitioners argued, referencing Article 21 of the 1986 Structure.
The defendants are going through fees of arson, felony mischief, conspiracy, tried homicide, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of firearms, launch of damaging forces, reckless endangerment, and theft of property.
They’re asking the Supreme Court docket to declare their bond legitimate and put aside the prosecution’s exceptions, reverse Choose Willie’s rulings that allowed the LRA to testify in opposition to their bond, compel their speedy launch from detention pending trial, and right what they describe as “a number of authorized errors” dedicated by the trial courtroom.
The petition now earlier than the Supreme Court docket argues that the method violates Article 21(d)(i) of the Liberian Structure, which ensures the fitting to bail and safety from extreme or unreasonable pretrial punishment.
The protection maintains that after a bond is accredited and sureties are accepted, additional objections to its validity are procedurally improper.
Recusal Movement Denied Regardless of Allegations of Bias
The petition additionally reveals {that a} Movement for Recusal was filed in opposition to Choose Willie. The protection cites statements allegedly made by the decide, claiming his life was threatened in reference to the case. In keeping with the protection, these feedback exhibit bias and compromise the decide’s impartiality.
Regardless of the movement, Choose Willie refused to recuse himself and continued presiding over the case.
The petitioners argue that this undermines their proper to a good trial.
Authorized Grounds and Implications
Filed below Chapter 16 of the Civil Process Legislation, the Petition for a Writ of Certiorari challenges each the authorized reasoning and procedural integrity of the decrease courtroom’s choices.
The petition was licensed by a crew of seasoned authorized practitioners, together with J. Quiwue Dennis, Jonathan T. Massaquoi, James N. Kumeh, Momolu G. Kandakai, Arthur T. Johnson, and M. Wilkins Wright, all licensed by the Supreme Court docket Bar.
Authorized specialists say the case may impression interpretations of defendants’ rights in pretrial detention, prosecutorial boundaries in bond proceedings, and the discretionary powers of trial judges.
Supreme Court docket’s discover
As a part of the unfolding authorized course of, the Supreme Court docket of Liberia has issued an official quotation for a convention in chambers, signaling the case’s development to the next stage of judicial scrutiny.
In keeping with a communication from the Workplace of the Clerk of the Supreme Court docket, the events concerned are scheduled to look earlier than the courtroom on Friday, August 29.
“By directive of Her Honor Jamesetta H. Wolokolie, Affiliate Justice presiding within the Supreme Court docket of Liberia, you might be hereby cited to a convention in chambers on Friday, August 29, 2025, on the hour of 1:00 p.m., Temple of Justice, Monrovia.
The transfer has drawn public consideration, with many awaiting the end result of the convention that might set the stage for the Court docket’s subsequent steps within the matter.
