Burglary at Margibi’s Circuit Court 

Unknown persons have reportedly broken into the 13^th Judicial Circuit Court in Kakata, Margibi County, amid a drug case and stolen essential documents, including substances.

By Ramsey N. Singbeh, Jr., in Margibi

Margibi, Liberia, August 27, 2024—Unknown person (s) have allegedly burglarized the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Kakata, Margibi County, stealing an unspecified amount of substances.

This immediately follows the first jury trial of defendants facing the law for being associated with a huge quantity of drug known as ‘Kush’ valued at millions of Liberian Dollars.

The unknown persons are also said to have tempered with pieces of documentary evidence against the accused in the Kush case that are kept under the auspices of the court.

The alleged burglary occurred late Friday, August 23, 2024, the same day the court conducted its first jury trial.

The NEW DAWN has learned that the case involves three defendants who are presently detained at the Kakata Central Prison, otherwise known as Carter High.

The matter was transferred from the RIA Magisterial Court in Harbel to the 13th Judicial Circuit Court because the gravity of the crime is above the jurisdiction of the Magisterial Court.

The drug in question is reportedly worth several million Liberian Dollars, an inside source from the Liberian Drug Enforcement Agency in Margibi reveals.

 The alleged perpetrators this paper gathered are few. They broke through the ceiling right over assigned Judge T. Ciapha Carey’s office window, making their way into the building.

They opened the cartoon containing the kush and made away with an unspecified quantity of narcotics.

 After normal office hours on Friday, around 6 p.m., Judge Carey went to the court and immediately invited the county attorney, the heads of the police, and the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency to his office.

Unlike the county attorney, who was represented by her office, the other authorities made their way to the judge and convened a closed-door meeting that lasted for a while, after which they left the court. 

Following the meeting, Judge Carey referred anyone seeking information about the incident to the Supreme Court, the LDEA, the police, and the Margibi County Attorney.

The police say they are still investigating the alleged burglary, and it is too early to speak to the press.

However, during the closed-door meeting, the court requested that the LDEA take delivery of the remaining batch of drugs, but the Agency declined on the grounds that it had already been tempered.

Police and LDEA officers were assigned to the court to provide security until Monday, August 26, 2024, pending further investigation.

Though no suspect was immediately arrested, the NEW DAWN also learned that the burglary was meant to destroy evidence and undermine the trial against the defendants, which could eventually lead to their release.

 Many residents of Margibi, who spoke to this paper on condition of anonymity, noted that the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Kakata is vulnerable and highly insecure when storing court documents and other material evidence.

They also said it is too early to have this kind of misfortune under the leadership of newly assigned Judge T. Ciapha Carey. Editing by Jonathan Browne