In US$100M Drug Case, NPA, APM Terminals To Serve As Witness – Latest Liberian News

MONROVIA – As the ongoing US$100 million case intensifies, Criminal Court C Judge Blamo Dixon has granted a request to Subpoenae the National Port Authority (NPA), APM Terminals, and other potential witnesses to testify in the ongoing US$100M Cocaine Case .

The application of the writ of Subpoena Decu Tecum and Ad-Testificadum was requested for by the defense following defendant Malam Conte’s Testimony where he revealed in open court that the Brazilian Henrique Gustavo, who is also at the center informed him prior to his arrival that he was a friend with someone in the government.

Defendant Conte narrated in his testimonies that Henrique Gustavo told him that he was providing frozen food like chicken wings and tags for his friend in the government noting that said food would be used for campaign purposes.

However, on April 19, 2023, the defense filed a request to subpoena the managements of NPA, APM Terminal, and other potential witnesses in order to testify as they are key to the investigation. The NPA, a key governmental agency and APM Terminals are charged with the responsibility of freeing and clearing containers and goods before it enters into the country through the port of Liberia.

According to the defense, their request to invite NPA and APM Terminals management is to aid the defense team in establishing the facts.

“It is the responsibility of the National Port Authority and APM Terminals to free and clear containers at the Free Port of Monrovia as such, they should be able to tell whether the container of the US$100 million Cocaine was freed and cleared by them. And if not, NPA and APM should tell why the TRH Trading Cooperation container that contained the $US100M cocaine did not go through the normal process,” they noted

They argued that it has been allegedly reported that TRH Trading Cooperation is being given special treatment by the management of NPA and ATM Terminals something which is said to have caused James Hinneh, President of Custom Brokers Union to voice out loudly.

The subpoena Testificadum is expected to be served on James Hinneh of the Customs Brokers Union, Othello Gablah, publisher of the New Dawn newspaper, the Management of the Financial Intelligence Unit, and the Anti-Smuggling Unit of the Customs Services of Liberia

While the writ of subpoena Decu Tecum is to be issued on the management of NPA and APM terminals.

Subpoena Decu Tecum is a writ ordering a person to attend a court and bring relevant documents. While subpoena Ad-Testificadum is a writ ordering a person to appear in court and give oral testimony to be used at a hearing or trial.

Those being tried are Malam Conte, Adula Djaio, Makki Issam, and Oliver Zayzay

Meanwhile, the next hearing is expected to resume on Monday, April 24, 2023, at 10:30 Am.