By: R. Joyclyn Wea |
Judge Gbeneweleh in his forty counts verdict on Tuesday, July 30, 2019 declared the eight indictees to include: former House Speaker J. Alex Tyler, H. Varney Sherman, Richard Tolbert, E. C. B. Jones, Sen. Morris Saytumah, Christopher Onamauga, Eugene and Shannoh, and Willie Belleh as free men after Government Lawyers failed to defend its claimed of corrupt malpractices against the indictees.
The Judge asserted that the testimonies presented in Court by prosecution witnesses were all based on hears say and not facts.
They were jointly charged with multiple offenses ranging from bribery, criminal facilitation, criminal conspiracy, and criminal solicitation, after allegedly receiving US$950,000 dollars from the company.
Judge Gbeneweleh further maintained government did not prove the allegation of bribery, criminal facilitation, criminal conspiracy, criminal solicitation as contained in its indictment, noting that the burden of prove rest upon the prosecution to prove beyond reasonable doubts the allegation contained in its indictment something which the Government failed to do.
“Their constitutional and statutory rights are hereby restored with immediate effect,” Presiding Judge Gbeneweleh.
The Judge further took into consideration inconsistencies in the testimonies provided by prosecution witnesses on the cross.
The court also took in to account section 75 of the draft PPCC and Enacted law which government relied on in her indictment and argument before the court.
The court noted that section 75 was included in both the draft PPCC Act and Enacted law as compared to claimed government lawyers that the section 75 was included only in the enacted law to favor the company and part of the draft bill.
Meanwhile, the ruling which was due for 2PM July 30, 2019 was delay for over 2 hours with the judge finally coming in and appealing to the parties for such delay nothing that something beyond his control was responsible for such delay.