As the Unity Party-led government is trying to bring on board others to fully engage in the activities aimed at moving the country forward in term reconstruction, reconciliation and battling corruption, Liberians, especially pro-democracy groups and civil society organizations are being called upon not to prejudge those appointed to various positions.

	• Dr. Marcus S. G. Dahn

Opposition politician of the Alliance for Peace and Democracy (APD), Marcus S. G. Dahn warned Liberians to avoid prejudging nominees before they are confirmed by the Liberian Senate.

According to him, appointees are presumed by civil society organizations, opposition party leaders as nonentities before they go before the Liberian Senate for confirmation.

Speaking to The Analyst Newspaper recently, he said anyone who has problems with any nominees should engage pass their grievances through their senators, stating the reasons why that person should not be confirmed, other than making “unnecessary noise that will not help the process.”

Dr. Dahn, who is an official in the government made reference to the issue of Cllr. Frances Johnson Morris, whose appointment to the Anti Corruption Commission sparked national uproar, with calling on the president to reverse the decision.

Like President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who brushed aside the calls, Dr. Dahn said also Cllr. Morris does not have any corruption records and that she has served in bigger positions than the one she is being chastised.

According to him, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf appointed Dr. Dunn to head the investigation of the email scandal involving former Minister of State Willis Knuckles, but several Liberians have now using the media to condemn the appointment, claiming that he (Dunn) and President Sirleaf are friends.

“Dr. Dunn knows computer very well; he is an internationalist, and that the president said he should call others to work with him. Why those criticizing now can’t wait and see what he is going to do”, he wondered.

According to him, Liberians should learn to use the rightful channel to express their views that will make impact instead of sitting on the fence and criticize.

“The way government is run in Liberia is interesting, but citizens don’t make use of it. The National Legislature is a place where people go to express their grievances.

President Sirleaf Must Explain Email Scandal
Liberty Party insists
By Sallu Swaray

The opposition Liberty Party says it is interested in knowing from President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf how much she knows about the e-mail scandal and how much money she has received.

The party’s Chairman, Israel Akinsanya spoke recently on the Old Road, noting “it is a serious issue that members of the president’s inner-circle are alleged to have extorted money in a process that will lead to leaving Liberia’s maritime program in the hands of LISCR without a bid.

According to him, the president needed to recognize that the Liberty Party is not going to leave this country for a minute, adding “if the needs arise, they will have to put so much pressure on the ruling party to invite the Americans to carry out an independent investigation, with the backing of the FBI.”

He said the issue is a disgrace to Liberia and Liberians, and as such the ICGL to be a part of the process of investigating the e-mail scandal. As opposition party, Chairman Akinsanya said, they are prepared to go further with the issue base on the law to ensure that the investigation is carried on to the fullest.

Mr. Akinsanya added that his party, over the last three years, has been engaging the government positively in order to hold it on a straight line to the people it promised during the elections.
According to him, they are prepared to work with other political partners to make sure they hold this government accountable to every promise it made.

Mr. Akinsanya furthered “all is not well with our citizens because the cost of food, the cost of fuel and rice is so high, let alone the lack of control of corruptions in government.”

He stressed that they will continue as an opposition party to advocate for the people, but urged the partisans of the party to remain resolute and hold together as the party is engaging the government constructively.

Mr. Akinsanya pointed out that they have begun putting their members together to re-awaken the party, holding series of consultations with the Friends of Brumskine (FOB) as a means of trying to move the party in the various communities, corners and nooks of this country.

Supreme Court Suspends Margibi Murder Trial
By George J. Borteh

The Justice-In-Chambers of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Liberia, Cllr. Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie has directed Judge Korboi Nuta, who is currently presiding over the Margibi County murder case, to suspend hearing in the trial involving Margibi County Junior Senator, Roland C. Kaine and 15 others.

According to Justice Wolokolie’s directive dated September 12, 2008 and addressed to Judge Nuta, the action was intended to enable government’s lawyers prosecuting the defendants get ample time to prepare their case.

The order also said that the entire trial was suspended foe this August Term of court, meaning that the trial will not go on.

“However, the hearing of the main case (Margibi County Murder Case), is suspended this term (August) so as to enable the petitioners(State Lawyers) ample time to prepare its case,” the directive from the Justice-In-Chambers said.

Senator Kaine and 15 others are on trial for their alleged role played into the killings of 14 individuals in a town bordering Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties few months ago.

The suspension of the case by the Justice-In-Chambers, according to court analysts, is it a clear indication that the defendants may be tried in the November Term of Court. It is also believed that the suspension of the trial to another term of court has provided a room for the long detention of the defendants including Senator Kaine.

In the early days of the hearing of the case, state lawyers told the court that they were not prepared to go into the case and later submitted series of applications before the to have the case tried in the November Term of Court.

Giving reasons that it gas other cases including Murder, Rape among other cases and could not go into said case in this August term of court, state lawyers led by Attorney Samuel K. Jacobs filed a writ of Certiorari to the justice in chambers of the Supreme Court, Justice Wolokolie.

The Writ of Certiorari filed by the government argued that Judge Nuta issued an assignment in the case less than one week after it was transferred to the First Judicial Circuit Court while the County Attorney was reviewing the evidence and making effect to contact state witnesses in Grand Bassa County.