The Inquirer (Monrovia)
C. Winnie Saywah
19 May 2008
A criminal appearance bond of US$1,800,000,00 has been set aside as surety in the criminal case involving the former Chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL), Charles Gyude Bryant, former Managing Director of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Cooperation (LPRC), Edwin Snowe and others at the Temple of Justice.
The security bond filed by the African Insurance Corporation of Liberia (AICOL), a duly organized insurance company in the country last Friday at the criminal court 'C', posed no liens or other encumbrances on or against any of the properties, real and personal of the company but the penalty of said bond is put at US$1,900,000.00.
In the AICOL's affidavit of surety, it assured the court of being firmly bound to the sheriff of the First Judicial Circuit Court of Montserrado County to the effect that it would avail the living bodies of the accused upon demand and upon judgment against the defendants/principals of the afford court or any other court to which the action or criminal conspiracy shall be removed.
In concurrence with the criminal appearance bond, the insurance company further assured the court through its affidavit that the accused have sufficient assets within the country for which they can be granted bailed upon their personal recognizance.
Meanwhile the accused that also included Bomi County Junior Senator, Richard Devine, Siaka A. Sheriff and G. Andy Quaime are to appear in court tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. to answer to the charge of Economic Sabotage/theft of property/criminal conspiracy as per the writ of arrest issued on May 9, 2008.
The accused may however remain in court until they are duly discharged and if convicted of said charge, AICOL is to surrender them unto the custody of the sheriff to undergo the full sentence of the law.
Mr. Bryant for his part was subsequently arrested and detained for a night at the Monrovia Central Prison following for the first time since he dismissed his team of lawyers.
The appearance of Mr. Bryant before the Criminal Court "C" comes after he was sent to prison by the court after he willingly surrendered himself to the court sometime ago.
Mr. Bryant was placed behind bars at the Monrovia Central Prison but was later released by court officials with the understanding that he will appear before the court for the resumption of the economic sabotage case brought against him and other officials in his Transitional government by the state.
Prior to his imprisonment, the court, under the gavel of Presiding Judge J. Boima Kontoe, directed court officers to have him re-arrested because the court said he failed to appear before it after series of attempts by court officers to serve him with a notice of assignment for the continuation of the case.
It was also reported that when court officers went to the residence of the former NTGL Chairman Bryant to have him arrested, he willingly surrendered himself to the court officers and was escorted to the Monrovia Central Prison under tight security provided by UNMIL.
At the Monrovia Central Prison on May 8, 2008, Mr. Bryant told reporters that he was respecting the orders of the court and the wishes of the government of the day, which wants him tried after he had successfully executed his mandate to achieve a peaceful transition to power.
The former NTGL Chairman expressed surprise over the way he is being treated by the government, stressing that he has notified ECOWAS and the ICGL about the government's latest action to have him arrested and jailed.
Upon his arrival at the prison, other prisoners warmly greeted him including the Acting Speaker in his transitional government, George Koukou, who was accused of planning subversive activities and jailed for close to a year without charge and later set free by the government.
Before he was arrested and detained by the court, Mr. Bryant said he wrote a letter to the head of the court requesting the presiding judge to give him 30 days so as to enable him get his new legal counsel for the continuation of the case.
He has earlier contended that until he can find a new legal counsel, he will not sign any notice of assignment from the court. The former NTGL Chairman dismissed his two lawyers on grounds that the decision by the Supreme Court against the two men, means that they cannot adequately protect him in the case.
Mr. Bryant is the first Liberian Head of State to be imprisoned at the Monrovia Central Prison since it was constructed. He is also the first Liberian Head of State to be locally charged with 'Theft of Property' and arraigned before a court to face prosecution.
The former NTGL Chairman was charged with Theft of Property by the state for allegedly converting over US$1million of the state resources to his personal use when he headed the NTGL, a report released by a team of ECOWAS auditors said.
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