Absconded Chairs in Court Custody

The trial court at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia has taken custody of the 114 chairs absconded by defendant Reverend Matthew T. Sakeuh, while facing trial for misapplying US$1m intended to construct the ABC Children Aid Liberia branch.

On Wednesday, Criminal Court “C” Judge Peter W. Gbenewleh ordered the Paynesville Magisterial Court to turn over the seized chairs at the Court “C” in Monrovia, after prosecutors alarmed that while being prosecuted, defendant Reverend Sakeuh removed all 114 chairs from the disputed ABC Children Aid premises and “lent” them to the African Dream Academy.

Judge Gbenewleh had ruled that the removal of the chairs by defendant Sakeuh from ABC Children Aid Premises to an unknown destination is not supported by law, but rather an “attempt [by the defendant] to dispose off some of the assets prior to the conclusion of the trial.

Defendant Reverend Matthew T. Sakeuh was jointly accused with his wife Mrs. Plenseh Sakeuh of the Africa Indigenous Evangelical Mission (AIEM) in Liberia for allegedly duping the US based ABC International of a One Million United States Dollars ($1,000,000.00USD) project to purchase a total of 72.6 acres of land for the establishment of the ABC Children Aid Liberia.

Prosecutors first witness Gudrum Margret Palsdottir claimed to have discovered that after all necessary interactions with defendant Sakeuh, ABC Children International picture could not be found on the website of the AIEM, or mentioning anywhere on the buildings.

As for the second witness for prosecution, El-McIntosh Mator claimed on Wednesday that all through the time he stayed on the ABC Children Aid Campus, defendant Reverend Sakeuh made him to believe that everything on the campus, including funding came from ABC Children Aid International.

“In 2009 I was actually convinced, but at the same time skeptical because the Rev. Matthew T. Sakeuh [made] me to go against the will of God by forcing me to lie to the delegate that … while in Redlight [I lost] five of my children by a disease that killed one thousand Liberian children,” said witness Mator.

The witness further claimed to be surprise that defendant Sakeuh would make his lawyer Cllr. Cooper Kruah to write communication, claiming ownership of the property he had earlier said was funded by ABC Children Aid International.

“Again, I am very much confused and surprised that the Rev. has gone as far as damaging the property of ABC Children Aid International [by] taking huge some of heavy duty equipment on the site and taking out dirt for which purpose I do not know,” said Mator.