Prosecutors here are urging the Court to deny and dismiss opposition lawmaker Yekeh Kolubah’s motion to get acquitted of multiple criminal charges over the government’s alleged failure to prove its allegations, as State lawyers counter the motion saying they established the sufficiency of the crimes alleged.
Prosecution and defense argued Tuesday, 21 April over Mr. Kolubah’s motion which opined Monday that government presented seven witnesses in the case who failed to make up a prima facie case for aggravated assault, criminal attempt to commit murder, kidnapping, criminal solicitation and criminal facilitation which he is indicted for.
Following their argument Tuesday, Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie said ruling in the motion for acquittal filed by defendant Kolubah, the arguments put forth by the parties and all the law citations will be made on Thursday, 23 April at 10:45 AM prompt.
During the argument, Montserrado County Attorney Cllr. Edwin K. Martin urged the Court to deny and dismiss Representative Kolubah’s motion, saying the prosecution was able to establish the sufficiency of the crime that was committed by the accused.
According to him, the State produced picture evidence, and also produced as evidence, the handcuff that was allegedly used by Mr. Kolubah’s former security guards to handcuff one Emmanuel Freeman who the State alleges was beaten on the orders of the accused for refusing leaflet and T – shirt printed for the June 7, 2019 protest.
Cllr. Martin accuses Mr. Kolubah of giving the order for his former bodyguards to go and bring Freeman by all cause, saying: “We produced the handcuff that was used in the commission of the crime.”
Further, he says the State produced as its witnesses, the people that participated in the commission of the crime on the order of Yekeh Kolubah.He narrates further to show commission of aggravated assault by the defendant, there is evidence to show bruises which were allegedly inflicted on Emmanuel Freeman’s body when he was allegedly naked and handcuffed.
Cllr. Martin insists that Mr. Kolubah cannot argue that the State did not prove its case when it produced the handcuff, Abu Keita and others who used to testify in the case.
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Also arguing, Defense lawyer Cllr. Finley Y. Karngar insists that the State produced insufficient evidence, saying to allow the case to continue it’s going to violate the Criminal Procedure Law.
Cllr. Karngar notes that there is no link in the witnesses’ testimonies to indict the accused, adding that it is therefore best that the court acquits Mr. Kolubah based on the facts and circumstances.
Mr. Kolubah, a representative for Montserrado County District #10 and a staunch critic of President George Manneh Weah has been facing trial here after prosecution accused him of ordering his former security guards to beat Emmanuel Freeman last year.
He was jointly indicted with the security guards and supporters in person of Abu Keita, Johnson Kpor, Oliver Kanneh, Levi Blackie, Mohammed S. Kabah, Mohammed A. Kabah and Frank O. Morgan.
The state later dropped charges against the lawmaker’s bodyguards and used them as state witnesses as he secured separate trial.
Kolubah subsequently lost a motion in which he wanted the court to rescind its decision of granting a nolleprosequi requested by the state in favor of his former bodyguards and supporters who had become state witnesses.
