Extradition from Liberia—Kermue and Bailey, Continued

Yesterday, we discussed the very contentious extradition proceedings of Melee Kermue and Wilma Bailey. Stunningly, the proceedings have become even more contentious as violence seems to have broken out at the Criminal Court “A” within the Temple of Justice Building in Monrovia, Liberia.^[1]

The violence began when police, acting upon the orders of Liberia’s Solicitor General, T.C. Gould, “entered to court to forcibly carry out an order of arrest.”^[2] Mr. Kermue and Ms. Bailey were said to have remained in detention “despite a valid bond filed at the Magisterial Court,” and the two individuals’ lawyers were petitioning the Criminal Court “A” to have the detention order reversed.^[3] Judge James Zotaa apparently granted the reversal and ordered the two to be put in custody of the Sheriff, which angered Mr. Gould, who ordered the two to be forcibly arrested by the police.^[4] One eyewitness said that Mr. Gould “even ordered the police to beat and disgrace the judge should he put up any resistance.”^[5]

The Sheriff and his men “managed to contain the police brutality and get them out of the premises,” but minutes later, “police jumped on the Marshall of the Supreme Court thus preventing him from entering the building.”^[6] One person sustained a stab wound and others were “seriously flogged” by the police.^[7]

Judge James Zotaa is very angry and said that “he had ordered his clerk to prepare a Writ ordering the [Justice Minister and Solicitor General] to appear” before his court.^[8] “T.C. Gould and the Justice Minister will be arrested and brought before this court,” he said. “These kinds of people should not be allowed to obstruct judicial proceedings and go with impunity.”^[9]

When asked where Mr. Kermue and Ms. Bailey are now, Justice Minister Kabineh Jan’eh acknowledged that they were not in police custody and that he simply does not know.^[10] He also said that he had not yet been served with an arrest warrant.^[11]

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[1] See Michael Gebeh, Clashes at Criminal Court, The Inquirer, Dec. 9, 2005; Sidiki Trawally, Violence Erupts at Extradition Hearing in Liberia: One Stabbed, Another Flogged, FrontPageAfrica, Dec. 9, 2005; Legal Showdown at Temple of Justice, The Analyst, Dec. 9, 2005.
[2] Gebeh, supra note 1.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] Id.
[6] Id.
[7] Trawally, supra note 1.
[8] Gebeh, supra note 1.
[9] Id.
[10] Trawally, supra note 1.
[11] The Analyst, supra note 1.