The first treason trial under the Ellen led government has reached its apex with the scheduled appearance today on the witness stand of AFL Retired Colonel Andrew Dorbor, a prime suspect, whom the state had earlier opted to use against the rest with disconcerting drama.
Nonetheless, his taking the stand today is significant to unveiling the substance or chaff of the entire episode. As a historic trial that has been a crowd puller since inception, the public is yearning for truth with no space for stage-managed outturns.
But the key question is what he has to say today that will not consolidate his earlier pronouncement that he is being lied upon.
The Analyst presents the bits and pieces through the lens of Reporter George Borteh from the Temple of Justice.
One of the three suspects in the ongoing treason trial at Criminal Court‘A’ at the Temple of Justice will today testify about his role or activities with reference to the alleged plot to unseat the Ellen Sirleaf government.
Suspects Andrew Dorbor, Charles Julu and George Koukou were arrested by state security and later charged with the crime of treason. The state maintained then that the accused had planned to overthrow the government.
Since then, the trial of the alleged coup plotters started few months ago, with the government through its prosecuting team producing as evidences of the plot three expert investigators and two video clips against the accused coup plotters.
Defendant Dorbor who is a colonel of the disbanded Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), earlier on caused stir, when he was his living body was brought to court in fulfillment of the defense counsels insistence that he (Dorbor) could not be detained indefinitely beyond statutory period of 48 hours.
During that appearance, the accused denied knowledge about any plot and indicated instead that Ivorian security officers acting with Liberian security network had arrested him and tortured him.
He revealed that he was taken to Monrovia while enduring tremendous pain and informed by state security to help the government furnish evidence against the other accused. The revelations that caused unsteady reactions amongst court going ordinary people were adjourned for another day.
But the mysterious legal arrangement of days has fallen on today. Dorbor did not know that the other day of hearing would be in this dry month of December. Yet he will rise and testify in court today concerning his role in the alleged coup plot.
Suspect Dorbor, who is the first defense witness to take the stand today had said to the Criminal Court A that after he was released by the National Security Agency (NSA), that he was forced by the state to lie against suspect Charles Julu.
His taking the stand, according to legal practitioners is crucial to the entire process, as to whether the plot was farfetched or an actual project.
He indicated then that he was being coerced by the government to lie against other accused, an action that enraged government to bundle him from state witness to one of the accused, who allegedly tried to depose the nascent Ellen-led administration. But what will he say today that is unknown is the question that concerns analysts.
The testimony of Dorbor in court today, whether they be true or otherwise will be interpreted according to the wisdom of the 15 empanelled jury under the powerful gavel of the judge for the obvious freedom or guilt.
The testimony of Dorbor is likely to be followed by that of his co-accused, Julu, whose testimony is also of public interest.
Apart from two of the accused (Dorbor and Julu) who had already been indicted, another accused ‘plotter’ (George Koukou) has not been indicted. Besides not been indicted, suspect Koukou is currently without lawyers to fight his legal battle as Gen. Julu and Col Dorbor.
Meanwhile, lawyers representing the government in the ongoing treason trial have ended their testimony. The state completed the witness exercise last week after the three witnesses that the prosecution produced testified in court linking Col. Dorbor and Gen. Julu to the alleged coup plot.
Screening of video clips and playing of an audio tape in court were part of the state’s evidence against the alleged coup plotters. |
