CBL Tellers Guilty

New Democrat (Monrovia)

Peter N. Toby

18 May 2011

The empanel jury at Criminal Court ‘C’ have brought down a unanimous guilty verdict against 13 former tellers of the Central Bank of Liberia after undergoing a month-long trial for stealing L$7.6m at CBL.

Speaking through their foreman, the jurors told the court that they were convinced by the evidence adduced in court by state prosecutors to convict the former CBL employees of stealing the money.

The state indicted the 13 CBL employees in 2009 for theft of property, economic sabotage, fraud and criminal facilitation.

Immediately after pronouncing the verdict, Judge Blamo Dixon of Criminal Court ‘C’ hailed the verdict of the jurors, and ordered the clerk of Court to prepare their payroll document immediately in order to receive their compensation for the service rendered the government.

Nine of the indicted tellers were in court to hear the guilty verdict against them while 4 were absent.

According to law, Judge Blamo Dixon must sentence the convicted 13 CBL tellers within five days after the jurors handed down their unanimous guilty verdict.

Relatives of some defendants who had anticipated a non-guilty verdict shed tears moments after hearing the verdict read in the jammed-packed courtroom.

Meanwhile, defense lawyers have taken exception to the verdict.

In a related development, Judge Blamo Dixon Tuesday sentenced one of the 13 CBL tellers (J. Dennis Way) at the Monrovia Central Prison for 30 days for jurors tampering.

State prosecutors accused Mr Dennis Way of imbedding two of his relatives among the 12 jurors during the trial.

Judge Dixon described the action of Mr Dennis Way as “criminal and against jurors under Liberian laws”.

Already jurors Josephine Yah and Archie Barblo, who were planted by some defendants during the trial, are serving 30 days each at the Monrovia Central Prison, for lying to the court under oath.

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