The Monrovia City Court on Monday admitted into evidence a viral video showing Miss Liberia First Runner-Up Kindness Wilson slapping fellow student Jumel Cox, dealing a major blow to the defense and strengthening the prosecution's case after weeks of courtroom delays and legal resistance.
The short video, under 30 seconds, was played three times in a crowded courtroom on the court's laptop using a USB drive provided by the subpoenaed witness who recorded it. The clip, which spread widely on social media earlier this year, shows the altercation at the center of the state's disorderly conduct and simple assault charges against Wilson.
The submission marks a critical turning point in the case, which has been mired in evidentiary disputes for months. It follows a mandate issued by Criminal Court 'A' Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie, who overruled Magistrate Ben L. Barco's earlier decision denying the video on the grounds of improper authentication. Judge Willie had instructed that the video could only be admitted if the person who recorded it appeared in court to authenticate it within two days.
That mandate was challenged by the defense, which filed a petition for certiorari before Supreme Court Justice-in-Chambers Ceaineh D. Clinton-Johnson. However, the Justice denied the petition and upheld Judge Willie's ruling, instructing the magistrate to proceed.
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On Monday, the prosecution called the videographer, who testified under oath after being served a writ of subpoena duces tecum and ad testificandum. She confirmed recording the incident and provided the video, which the judge admitted into evidence. The defense again objected, arguing that the witness should not be qualified and resisting the presentation of the video, but the court dismissed those objections as previously settled by the Circuit Court.
Legal analysts say the video, along with a previous investigative report from Stella Maris Polytechnic University and Wilson's admission that she slapped Cox, now strengthens the prosecution's case.
Earlier in the case, the defense had successfully blocked the same video when it was shown through a school witness, arguing that only the person who recorded it could testify about its contents. At that time, Magistrate Barco sustained the objection, denying the video but admitting the school's investigative report and related documents.
Monday's development now meets Judge Willie's conditions for authentication, satisfying the threshold under Liberia's 2016 Evidence Law, which requires that audiovisual evidence be verified by the original source or creator.
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Defense lawyer Atty. Jeremiah Dougbeh was overheard vowing to once again take the matter "upstairs"-- a term for returning to a higher court through summary proceedings.
Notably missing from Monday's hearing was Kindness Wilson herself. Her lawyers had previously requested a temporary excuse, citing professional obligations in Nairobi. However, prosecutors revealed in court that Wilson had instead traveled to Doha, Qatar--contrary to her legal counsel's statement.
The presiding magistrate issued a stern warning, stating that if Wilson is confirmed to be in Doha, she would be held in contempt. The judge also ordered that if the defendant is not back in court by the end of the month, contempt proceedings will continue.
The assault case arises from an incident on March 31 at the Stella Maris campus, where Wilson allegedly slapped Cox after being accused of poor performance at the Miss Global Beauty Pageant. The dispute followed widespread online criticism of Wilson for singing the wrong national anthem during the international event. Wilson later claimed that Cox had bullied her
Kindness Wilson recently came under public criticism again, particularly after Wilson mistakenly claimed during Independence Day celebrations that Liberia gained independence in 1947, rather than 1847. The mistake sparked online backlash, with critics questioning her public representation and temperament.
The prosecution is being led by the Ministry of Justice in collaboration with private counsel Cllr. Moriah Yeakula-Korkpor, who declined to comment, citing the matter as sub judice. "The court records are public and speak for themselves," she told The Liberian Investigator.
