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Liberia: GOL Fails to Produce Foreign Testimonies
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The Analyst (Monrovia)
18 April 2008
Posted to the web 18 April 2008
George J. Borteh
One of the defendants in the ongoing treason trial, Retired Lt. General Charles G. Julu, Sr., has testified in Criminal Court 'A,' Temple of Justice, saying knows nothing about a coup plot nor has any knowledge of a plan to overthrow the Ellen-led administration.
Taking the Witness Stand Wednesday, Defendant Julu told the court that on July 16, 2007, a group of National Security Agency (NSA) agents whisked him from his residence and informed him that he had links to a coup plot.
Julu who appeared rather relaxed, explained that he was charged and placed behind bars at the Monrovia Central Prison.
"I was charged with treason and put in jail at the Monrovia Central Prison. This is all I can say", the former AFL Chief of Staff told the Court.
Lt. Gen. Charles Julu and former AFL Colonel Andrew Dorbor (both retired) are on trial for allegedly plotting to overthrow the Unity Party led administration.
This is the second time he is testified to alleged involvement in the reported plan to unseat the Ellen-led government.
During the first phase of the trial, retired Lt. Gen. Charles Julu and Col. Andrew Dorbor testified. A 'guilty verdict' was brought down against them 12 men empanelled Jury, but defense took exception and the judge granted a second trial.
The Defense team resisted the guilty verdict and took an appeal to the Supreme Court where a decision to have the case retried was reached. Prosecuting lawyer in the ongoing treason trial involving Gen. Charles Julu and Col. Andrew Dorbor yesterday failed to present the testimonies of its two foreign witnesses in court.
The witnesses who are members of the Ivorian Security Agency were identified to testify against the defendants Julu and Dorbor by lawyers representing the Liberian government in the ongoing treason trial of the allege plot by the accused to overthrow the Ellen-led government.
Appearing in court yesterday, April 15, 2008, the government lawyers led by Montserrado County Attorney Samuel Jacobs could not present the deposition records nor report to the Court but presented a document containing the investigation conducted on defendant Dorbor by the Ivorian Security when he (Dorbor) was arrested in that country.
The prosecution then requested the court to spread said document as evidence against the defendants; but his request was resisted by lawyers of Julu and Dorbor on grounds that the investigative report was not the issue rather disposition.
However, the investigative report was submitted to the Court to form a coherent part of the proceedings, but not as evidence. Accordingly, the prosecution told the Court that the deposition for which the Prosecution earlier traveled to the Ivory Coast was not obtained.
It was established that the two Ivorian security officers identified as Wright Duoll Foss and Taipe Kassarate refused to cooperate with the State lawyers who also traveled along with a member of the Defense Team, Atty. Lofen Keneah.
The government has spent over US$6,000 for the trip to the Ivory Coast without bringing the most needed testimonies in order to use same as evidence against the defendants.
The government of Liberia on April 7, 2008 dispatched its team of lawyers including a lawyer from the defense team of Julu and Dorbor with the purpose of documenting testimonies of the two Ivorian security men but returned on April 11, 2008, without a deposition report.
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However, the trial continues today with the Prosecution expected to rest its witness in the entire proceedings.
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