ALLEGED COUP PLOTTERS FAMILY RAISES CONCERNS
A little over two months ago, the Liberian government made an astonishing
pronouncement that Liberias fledging democracy was under threats.
No sooner than later, former Armed Forces of Liberia General Charles Julu was
picked up by state security officers on allegation of plotting to overthrow the
Ellen-led administration.
His arrest sent waves of anxiety amongst Liberians with many questioning the
timing and veracity of the plot.
Whilst that lingered, George Koukou was also arrested on similar allegation.
After days of preliminary investigations, they were accordingly charged with
treason and sent to jail.
But the trial is yet to off grounds due to legal obstacles ranging from legal
representation, separate trial and many more.
Now, it appeared that the family of one of the accused, George Koukou is
unhappy with the trend of events and has raised concerns, among which is the
validity of the allegation and a reminder of the government of its
constitutional duties.
The Analyst brings you the familys statement as lifted by FrontPageAfrica.
The family of alleged coup plotter, George Koukou wants the government to
grant him his constitutional immunities as guaranteed in Article 21(I) of the
Liberian Constitution which states: The right to counsel and the rights of
counsel shall be inviolable.
There shall be no interference with the lawyer-client relationship. In all
trials, hearings, interrogatories and other proceedings where a person is
accused of a criminal offense, the accused shall have the right to counsel of
his choice; and where the accused is unable to secure such representation; the
republic shall make available legal aid services to ensure the protection of
his rights.
In a formal letter under the signature of Amos Z. Koukou, the Koukou family
called on the government to meet its obligation under the Liberian constitution
and as per directive of the magistrate court under Milton Taylor over a month
ago when he granted a motion in favor of Koukou that government provides a
public lawyer or hire the services of a lawyer as stipulated by the
Constitution of the Republic of Liberia.
They claimed that for sometimes now, the Koukou family has had the pain of
waiting hopelessly as the Government use all legal means possible to keep Hon
koukou in jail.
Of particular interest to the Koukou family is news report that Government
key witness in the treason trial of involving Gen Julu revelation in open court
that he was tortured, and forced to lie about coup plot. Interestingly also is
the statement made over a month ago that the whole talk of coup plot was
fabrication.
With this kind of information, the family wonder how this government would
not accept that it has serious credibility problems that may lead many to
believe that we may some be returning to the ugly past when of imprisonment of
perceived and imagined enemies was the order of the day.
If this allegation is true, the governments credibility is not only in
doubt but is sinking deeper and deeper into the least expected".
"We\re calling on all pro- democracy movements, student groups, interest
groups, political parties and religious groups to seriously engage the
government by conducting independent investigation as a way of ensuring that no
one including the current government turns the clock back to yesteryears, the
letter quoted the family as saying.
While the Koukou family watches with keen interest the development involving
the Julu trial, the family continues to doubt the validity of an alleged coup
involving Mr. Koukou in the first place.
Sources from Liberia not yet substantiated have it that the head of the
National security agency who is a son of the President is headed to USA to meet
with Tom Wowiyou to help the Government case against Mr. koukou.
We are alarmed by this development and wish to call on all human rights
group to ensure that free, fair, and speedy trial of Hon koukou is held, and
that nothing short of clearing reasonable doubt would be accepted by the koukou
family, the family letter culled from FrontPageAfrica said.
According to family sources, the government seems to be delaying the
proceeding by not timely providing a legal counsel because of the defendants
financial incapability to retain one, on ground that Mr. Koukou is allegedly
building house which is totally false and baseless.
With this kind of behavior on the part of government in fulfilling it legal
obligation called for by the constitution it swore to uphold and defend, it
seems to suggest that the government is incapable of providing credible
evidence and thus delaying the trial to the dismay of family members and other
Liberians who remain very sympathetic to the defendant.
Our suspicious is even validated by the UN special envoy quoted in local
daily that Coup plot charges against Mr. Koukou and Julu are mere fabrication
and Col. Dorbors latest revelation.
The Koukou family finds it very unbelievable that the President of the
Republic of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, would at this point in time,
seriously take into consideration revelations from Mr. Tom Woweiyu, one of the
most discredited man in the eyes of majority of Liberians when in fact this
same man had been dismissed in the past by Mrs. Johnson-Sirleaf herself and
others who had classified him as a pathological liar.
Why would Mrs. Johnson-Sirleaf government want the Liberian public to believe
at this time that Mr. Woweiyu is any credible person to be giving revelations
which are supposedly in the interest of the state?
Is this Woeweiyu any different from the Woeweiyu Liberians were told in the
past not to take seriously by his lies in order to gain some recognition or
some minute political favor?
The government needs to inform the Liberian public whether it is dignifying
to rely on a mere email which likely or possibly seems to be fabricated to
implicate a person of some unknown but serious crime?
For instance, critically reviewing the supposedly email Mr. Woeweiyu said
came from Mr. George Koukou; the first name of the accused is wrongly
misspelled.
The George in George Koukou is written as Goerge Koukou which makes it highly
likely that there must have been some foul play.
Would Mr. George Koukou be so incapable of just spelling his own name which
he has used for decades? The government also has the burden upon it to provide
the IP address of the computer used in writing such letter to the public to at
least give the public some clues of validity of their accusation.
Liberians must know that the current state of affairs is one which puts
Liberia on a knife edge again by discouraging potential investors and corporate
managers from advancing any plan of moving to Liberia for investment purposes.
It sends the notion out to the world that Liberians are still obsessed with
warlike inhibition that would take a considerable number of years to pass away.
It is difficult to believe that Liberians would really want to see their
beloved country labeled in this fashion.
We call on the Liberian government to swiftly move the case forward by
providing the needed legal counsel since it is very apparent that the accused
cannot afford one.
We must also remember that justice delayed is justice denied. We still
believe that the government can do better than slowly moving this case forward.
Analystliberia.com
---------------------------------
Ask a question on any topic and get answers from real people. Go to Yahoo!
Answers. _______________________________________________
Ugandanet mailing list
[email protected]
http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet
% UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including
attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way.
---------------------------------------
