George J. Borteh
20 September 2008
The Justice-In-Chambers of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Liberia, Cllr. Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie has directed Judge Korboi Nuta, who is currently presiding over the Margibi County murder case, to suspend hearing in the trial involving Margibi County Junior Senator, Roland C. Kaine and 15 others.
According to Justice Wolokolie's directive dated September 12, 2008 and addressed to Judge Nuta, the action was intended to enable government's lawyers prosecuting the defendants get ample time to prepare their case.
The order also said that the entire trial was suspended foe this August Term of court, meaning that the trial will not go on.
"However, the hearing of the main case (Margibi County Murder Case), is suspended this term (August) so as to enable the petitioners(State Lawyers) ample time to prepare its case," the directive from the Justice-In-Chambers said.
Senator Kaine and 15 others are on trial for their alleged role played into the killings of 14 individuals in a town bordering Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties few months ago.
The suspension of the case by the Justice-In-Chambers, according to court analysts, is it a clear indication that the defendants may be tried in the November Term of Court. It is also believed that the suspension of the trial to another term of court has provided a room for the long detention of the defendants including Senator Kaine.
In the early days of the hearing of the case, state lawyers told the court that they were not prepared to go into the case and later submitted series of applications before the to have the case tried in the November Term of Court.
Giving reasons that it gas other cases including Murder, Rape among other cases and could not go into said case in this August term of court, state lawyers led by Attorney Samuel K. Jacobs filed a writ of Certiorari to the justice in chambers of the Supreme Court, Justice Wolokolie.
The Writ of Certiorari filed by the government argued that Judge Nuta issued an assignment in the case less than one week after it was transferred to the First Judicial Circuit Court while the County Attorney was reviewing the evidence and making effect to contact state witnesses in Grand Bassa County.
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