LIBERIA: Judge Willie Orders Arrest of Magistrate Peabody in GT Bank Case

Magistrate Peabody

The Presiding Judge of Criminal Court “A”, Roosevelt Willie, has ordered the arrest of Magistrate Kennedy Peabody for failing to appear before the court to provide information in connection with the exit of ex- GT Bank Managing Director Ayodeji Bejide from the country.

Magistrate Peabody failed to appear before the court on Monday, March 4, after a contempt charge was issued against him.

It was from this backdrop that the court issued an arrest order for Cllr Joseph Kollie for working to allow the defendant to leave the country without Prosecution and the Insurance Company of Africa giving consent.

Judge Willie’s decision was based upon Magistrate Peabody’s action to revoke the Ne Exeat Republica against the defendant, allowing him to travel for a medical leave.

He further indicated that the decision of Magistrate Peabody to have allowed the ex-GT Bank Managing Director to leave the country is not in good faith; therefore the Sheriff should have him arrested and brought before the Court to say why he allowed the defendant to leave the country.

Judge Willie further pointed that it has been over five months since the defendant left the country to seek medical treatment

The same Magistrate Court granted him leave to seek medical treatment through the approval of Cllr Kollie, but  Kollie said it was the Magistrate’s own discretion to grant the defendant medical leave.

It can be recalled that the GT Bank ex-managing director Bejide on August 28, 2018 allegedly assaulted one of his staff, Edward Freeman, during an argument, causing Freeman to sustain serious injury.

Defendant Bejide has been indicted by the Grand Jury of Montserrado County to face trial.

The  ex-GT Bank official left the country in October 2018 unknown to state lawyers, after a petition for a writ of Ne Exeat Republica was granted by the Monrovia City Court to prevent the defendant from leaving the country.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Peabody is expected to appear before the Court on Wednesday, March 6.

LINA

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