Murderer lands surety in trouble

An unnamed surety for indicted murder suspect Boakai Sirleaf is glaringly landing into trouble with the Criminal Court “A” after two consecutive failures for the defense counsels to produce the indictee in court to face trial having secure a surety.

It is not established from court minutes who stood as Boakai’s urety; but Judge Kontoe said the indictee was admitted to bail by the court, while the insurance bond filed on 31 March 2016 was referenced by the counsel “in the instant case, Atty. Elisha Forkeyor.” He was indicted by the government in February this year for allegedly killing victim Rocky Johnson in the 72nd Community of Paynesville City in 2013 with a deadly crushed stout bottle.

The judge said on Monday, 23 May that the defense team was attempting to make ineffectual the operation of the [court], as he decisively denied their second request for continuance and ordered the defendant
and his surety summoned to answer why they should not be held in contempt.

They have been instructed to appear on tomorrow, Wednesday, 25 May, at 10am to show cause, if any, why they should not be held in contempt for their failure and refusal to bring Boakai Sirleaf to court. Boakai’s whereabouts remain unknown up to Monday – the second time that he compelled his counsels to request presiding Judge Kontoe for more time to help locate the capital offense indictee or his surety.

Prosecutors said the indictee had burst a stout bottle during a fight with the late Johnson, allegedly stabbing the victim on his back below his upper left arm resulting to profuse bleeding and subsequent death at a local clinic.

He is being represented in the case by counsels from the Public Defender Office for Montserrado County, including Atty. Jallah G. Sumo, while prosecutors include Atty. P. Adelyn Cooper and Atty. Kpoto Kpadeh Gezzier.

The Prosecution had earlier resisted a request for additional time, reminding the court of its previous decision reached on Thursday, 19 May, that similar application was made by the defense which the court granted with warning to hold the defendant in contempt upon failure to appear.

“To the mind of the court, this is an attempt on the part of the defense counsel to make ineffectual the operation of [court],” the judge said. In an unrelated development, prosecutors presented seven cases to the Grand Inquest or Grand Jury for Montserrado County to review to draw indictments for six separate armed robbery cases and a rape case. The Grand Inquest was escorted into their room of deliberation by court officers on Monday to deliberate on the instrument given, and they are expected to make determination on whether those accused are indicted.

Three other cases that had already reached an indictment, including murder and manslaughter, were turned over to the Court by the Grand Inquest, and the court said it would sent them to the appropriate courts for trial. 

By Winston W. Parley