“Big Boy 1” meets govt. today

Prosecutors and criminally indicted former Lands, Mines and Energy Minister Dr. Eugene Shannon,dubbed “Big Boy One”are expected to debate on the indictee’s request for Criminal Court “C” to include him on a US$1.5m criminal appearance bond earlier filed by defendant H. Varney G. Sherman in an economic sabotage case.

A well placed government source, who preferred anonymity, suggested to the NewDawn on Monday evening that government may not object to Mr. Shannon’s request to be added to Sherman’s bond, saying it appears to be in government’s interest.

According to the source, government’s resistance to Shannon’s request which may not necessarily be an objection against the Motion to Add, will be filed or placed on records in open court today, Tuesday.
After being indicted for alleged bribery, criminal conspiracy, economic sabotage, criminal solicitation and criminal facilitation, Dr. Shannon asked the court to include him on Sen. Sherman’s bond.

He told the court that the insurance company that stood as surety for Sen. Sherman, Omega Insurance Company has already agreed and accepted his request to be covered under the criminal appearance bond.
In the motion, he argued that the US$1.5m bond filed by Sen. Sherman “is far in excess of the amount for which he [defendant Sherman] and the other defendants were indicted.
Defendants Shannon and his deputy Mr. Ernest C.B. Jones, Sen. Sherman, former Speaker Alex Tyler, former Minister Morris Saytumah and Nigerian national Chris Onanuagas well as several others were indicted for multiple charges, having allegedly being bribed about US$950,000 by U.K.-based Sable Mining to influence change in Liberia’s concession law in its favor. Shannon and Jones were named Big Boys One and Two, with claims that the two officials received US$250,000 each out of the total US$950,000 allegedly offered by the company.

By Winston W. Parley-Editing by Jonathan Browne