The Inquirer (Monrovia)
C. Winnie Saywah and Boima JV Boima
3 December 2008
The jail break which led to the illegal liberation of massive inmates from the Liberia Central Prison in Monrovia on Monday 1st December, 2008 has apparently paused most of the proceedings at the Temple of Justice.
Yesterday, December 2, 2008, the trial involving defendants Emmanuel Robert, Francis Mulbah, and Lincoln Morris who were allegedly involved in the murder of one Alexandra Konuwa on July 27, 2008 in the 72nd area failed to continue due to the absence of the defendants.
Following the call of the proceeding which has entered its second week, one of the prosecuting counsels, Assistant County Attorney Tamba Gborie said that from the news reported by most of the local newspapers yesterday indicating that there was indeed a massive jail break by prisoners in the Central Prison, it is not yet certain whether the defendants involved in the atter were among those that fled the prison as their presence was not felt in the court room during the proceedings.
Atty. Gborie who applied for the adjournment of the trial to a further date stated that the application was to enable the court sufficient time to find out from the prison authority whether the said defendants were among those that ran away from the prison on that fatal day. The Presiding Judge of Criminal Court 'A', Judge Boima Kontoe, after giving an outstanding consideration in the said statement by the erudite Assistance County Attorney, wasted no time but adjourned the case to 4th December, 2008, at 10:00am thereby instructing the court sheriff to go to the prison and find out immediately whether the said defendants were among those who absconded from the prison.
On the other hand one of the defense counsels, Cllr. Harper Bailey also assured the court that he will pay a visit to the prison yard in order to affirm whether their clients are secured in the prison yard.
The Court of non-records was visually empty all morning as only cases of theft of property and illegal possessions of properties were assigned for the day but there were no official business going on when courts should have been opened at 8:30 for legal businesses except for courts' opening and Supreme Court closing which is at 10:00am.
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