Fmr. Speaker Tyler, others not guilty in Sable mining bribery case

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Cllr. Varney Sherman and other former indictees [photo: Global Witness]

Judge Peter Gbeneweleh of Criminal Court ‘C’ at the Temple of Justice has rendered a non-guilty verdict in the Sable Mining case that involved some current and past government officials.

 

The  judge  has ordered that dignity be restored to the acquitted.

Judge Gbeneweleh handling his verdict Tuesday said, State Prosecution failed to provide convincing evidence to convict the indictees.

Grand Cape Mount County Senator Varney Sherman; Former House Speaker Alex Tyler; Eugene Shannon, E.C.B Jones, Richard Tolbert, Christopher Onanuga, Morris Saytuman, Welleh Belleh among others have been undergoing trial since 2016.

Background

The watch dog, Global Witness in its report on May 11, 2016 reported alleged that the defendants received over US$950,000 in bribes through Sable’s Liberian lawyer, Cllr. Varney Sherman, to change the Public Procurement Concession Commission (PPCC) law that would have enabled the officials to award the Wologizi Mountain in Lofa County to Sable, without any competitive bidding process.

The herein Defendants were investigated and indicted by a Special Presidential Task force established by former Liberian President Ellen.

The Task force headed by now Grand Kru Representative Fonati Koffa indicted Cllr. Sherman, Tyler and others with the Crimes of Economy sabotage, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal Facilitation and Solicitation.

Family members of the exonerated former and current government officials were on Tuesday celebrating the acquittal.

 Liberians disappointed

The Sable mining case was seen as a test case for corruption in Liberia but to the dismay of many Liberians all the accused were found not guilty. Some Liberians who spoke to LPR on the basis of anonymity said it was of ‘no use’ for government to spend huge amount of taxpayers’ money without any positive

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