By Garmah Lomoh|contributor
Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice headed by Judge Yarmie Quiqui Gbeisay is set to hear final Argument this Wednesday at 9am August 19, 2020, into the ongoing missing L$ 16bn Central Bank of Liberia excess printing of Liberian Dollar banknotes.
The missing L$16bn which sparked out huge protest name and style Bring Back Our Money headed by Student Activist Martin K.N. Kollie in 2018 is now coming to an end.
The former CBL officials including Liberia’s ex-president son Charles E. Sirleaf were indicted in June of 2019 for the commission of the crimes economic Sabotage, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal facilitation, among others but later was amended when money laundering added.
In May of this year, state lawyers dropped charges against son of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Charles E. Sirleaf who was the then Deputy Bank Governor for operations with prejudice to the state followed by formers Director of finance department, Dorbor M. Hagba, Richard H. Walker, director for operations and Joseph Dennis deputy director, internal audit.
Changes were dropped against Dorbor M. Hagba, Richard H. Walker and Joseph Dennis but it is yet to be known whether prejudice to the state or without prejudice to the state.
Charles E. Sirleaf and others Defendants charges were dropped in line with Chapter 18 section 18.1 of the Criminal procedure law which states
The prosecuting attorney may be leave of court file a dismissal of an indictment or complaint or of a count contained therein as to either all or some of the defendants.
The prosecution shall thereupon terminate to the extent indicated in the dismissal.
Thereafter, new indictment was drawn against the former CBL broad of Governors including the then Governor Milton A. Weeks.
CBL Board of Governors who are currently on trial for printing L$ 10bn without the approval of the Legislature are David M. Farhat, Elsie Dossen Badio, Kollie Tamba and Milton A. Weeks.
The Ex-CBL broad of Governors were charged with the crimes of Economic Sabotage, theft of property, fraud on the internal revenue of Liberia, misuse of public money or fund, property or record, theft and or illegal disbursement of public money, Criminal Conspiracy and facilitation respectively.
During the trial proceedings, state lawyers produced two regular, five Subpoenaed and one-rebuttal witness while, the defend lawyers produced, eight Subpoenaed, one expert and one general witnesses.
Both Kroll and Presidential investigative report showed that no money got missing at CBC but rather there were discrepancies and procedure errors that were not observed during the printing process of the money.
