Two major newspapers in Monrovia, FrontPage Africa and New Democrat, have been summoned by Criminal Court “C” Judge, Ousman F. Feika, for allegedly reporting wrongly in the Brownie J. Samukai trial at criminal Court “C”.
The writ of summons for contempt for FPA, in the possession of this paper, states, “You are hereby commanded to summon the management of FrontPage Africa to appear before criminal Assizes “C” first judicial circuit for Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia, on Monday, August 30, 2021 at 12 noon to show cause, if any, why the management should not be held in contempt of court for wrongfully reporting in its vol. 15. No.141 Friday, August 27, 2021 edition, under the caption “Samukai Suffers Setback as Government wants His 50% payment revoked, says all co-defendants must jointly pay 50% of US1.3 Million, found on page 8.”
The paragraph which the court considered “wrongful” reads: “The legal proceeding involving former Defense Minister Brownie J. Samukai and others convicted for misappropriating the Armed forces of Liberia pension will have to delay up to September 6, following a Bill of information filed by the Ministry of Justice against ‘irregularities’ by criminal Court ‘C’ by Judge OusmanFieka and co-defendants Samukai and others.”
Meanwhile, when the case was called for hearing on Monday, August 30, 2021, FrontPage Africa was absent because the sheriff’s return indicated that the management refused to sign for the writ of summon, while the New Democrat appeared and was given up to Wednesday, September 1, 2021 to appear with a lawyer to answer to the writ of contempt of court against them.
Because of FPA’s refusal to appear, Judge Fieka has ordered the clerk of Criminal Court “C” to issue a writ of criminal contempt of court against the management of FPA.
On August 26, 2021, lawyers representing defendant Brownie J. Samukai at Criminal Court “C” informed Judge Ousman F. Feika that Samukai has paid 50% of his share of the total sum of US$1,943,971.99 (one million nine hundred forty-three thousand nine hundred seventy-one US dollars ninety-nine cents), but a motion on bill of information and motion for enlargement may not favor their client’s final payment.
The court’s records indicated that the three defendants’ sum was divided into three, meaning one-third of the judgment/restitution imposed by the Supreme Court, an amount of US$10,000 was paid on March 23, 2021, US$8,000 on April 7, 2021, while US$173,276.05 was paid on August 19, 2021, bringing his total payment to US$191,276.05.
Samukai’s lawyers informed the court that co-defendants Joseph Johnson and J. Nyumah Dorkor, within the said six months, only paid US$1,000.00 each as mandated by the Supreme Court, but their client, J. Brownie Samukai, has satisfied his portion of the 1/3 of the 50% payment to be made within six months and, therefore, in keeping with the said mandate enter the appropriate stipulation to complete his full payment of 1/3 50%.
They further informed the court that the two co- defendants, Joseph Johnson and J. Nyumah Dorkor, are currently seeking medical attention outside of the court and could not fulfill their portion of the US$191,276.05, and the said situation has caused them to file a bill of information before the Supreme Court seeking enlargement of time to have them pay their portion of the 50%.
Samukai’s lawyers concluded by begging the court, requesting to “enter an appropriate payment arrangement” that will be accepted until the Supreme Court would either grant or deny the bill of information seeking an enlargement of time by the defendants.
Judge Feika took judicial notice of the fact that a motion for enlargement of time is still pending before the Supreme Court, while the state has also filed a motion for bill of information pending before the high court.