Monrovia, Liberia – In a case now drawing nationwide and worldwide consideration, Prison Courtroom “A” on the Temple of Justice has scheduled the trial of a number of high-profile defendants for Thursday, August 28, 2025, regardless of a slew of excellent authorized motions, constitutional violations, and a pending attraction earlier than the Supreme Courtroom’s Justice in Chambers.
The court docket, presided over by Resident Decide Roosevelt Z. Willie issued a Discover of Project earlier at this time. Nevertheless, protection legal professionals are crying foul, calling the transfer a grave violation of due course of and judicial ethics.
On August 11, 2025, the protection filed a movement for discovery, searching for entry to proof in keeping with their constitutional proper to organize a protection. Decide Willie has failed to listen to or rule on this movement but has moved ahead with trial proceedings.
“That is remarkable,” mentioned one authorized observer. “A decide can not order a prison trial to start whereas denying the protection entry to proof. That is trial by ambush, not trial by legislation.”
The protection has additionally filed a petition earlier than the Justice in Chambers of the Supreme Courtroom, difficult Decide Willie’s refusal to recuse himself. The movement outlines a number of severe considerations, together with:
Unconstitutional Bond Requirement: Decide Willie imposed a human surety requirement for bail after a bond is filed —a coverage he unilaterally created and which has no authorized foundation within the Liberian Structure or statute. Authorized professionals have labeled it a harmful act of judicial overreach, successfully writing legislation from the bench.
Expression of Private Concern: The decide has beforehand acknowledged that he fears for his life in reference to the case—a declaration the protection says demonstrates clear bias and psychological unfitness to preside. “If a decide is afraid of events earlier than him, he can’t be neutral,” famous one senior jurist.
The Discover of Project itself features a obtrusive clerical mistake, itemizing the trial date as August 28, 2024, a full 12 months off from the precise time period. Legal professionals say this might additional invalidate the doc and lift considerations concerning the court docket’s competence.
“The rule of legislation is beneath assault,” mentioned a protection consultant. “That is now not nearly our clientsit’s about preserving the sanctity of the Liberian judicial system.”
With the Supreme Courtroom now seized of the recusal attraction, and with main procedural motions nonetheless pending, strain is mounting for the nation’s highest judicial authority to intervene instantly and forestall what critics are calling a premeditated miscarriage of justice.
