Filed in by Olando Testimony Zeongar – 0776819983/0880-361116/life2short4some@yahoo.com
Monrovia – A long-time practicing lawyer, who was recently sued for threatening to murder Bettie Johnson-Mbayo of the Frontpage Africa newspaper, 71-year-old Councilor Charles Abdullah, has pleaded for a pardon from the journalist.
PUNCH reported recently that the Liberia National Police (LNP) had handed down multiple charges against the elderly lawyer, accused at the time of threatening to kill Madam Johnson-Mbayo.
Police charged Cllr. Abdullai with “Menacing and Terroristic threat”, and he had his first day in court on last Friday, when lawyers representing his legal interest requested for chambers discussions, while the matter was being heard in open court.
Chambers discussion is a legal proceeding that takes place in a judge’s chambers, or the office of a judge, where the judge may hear certain types of cases, instead of in open court. Whereas, open court is a legal term defined by the appearance by a party or their attorney in a public court session such as during a trial. Normally, the public may be present at such trials, hearings, and similar routine matters.
Court sources confiding in PUNCH Tuesday disclosed that Cllr. Abdullai through his legal team headed by Cllr. Matthies Omeje prayed the court for chambers discussion and was granted same, which took place Monday.
In the Monday’s chambers discussion, our sources said Cllr. Abdullai apologized for issuing death threat against the journalist and for also threating to kidnap one of three of her children.
‘Letter of apology’
However, PUNCH is reliably informed that journalist Johnson-Mbayo countered that she would accept the aging lawyer’s apology on the condition of the 71-year-old in addition to his apology in court, doing a letter to that effect, demanding that he also publishes such communication in few local dailies.
Cllr. Abdullai, did not object to the journalist’s demand, as he was given up to Friday, 14 September 2018, to reduce his verbal apology into a written one which he will then publish in few local newspapers, PUNCH has reliably gathered.
‘Call for retirement’
The lawyer representing journalist Johnson Mbayo, Cllr. Pearl Brown-Bull, has called on the court for Cllr. Abdullai to be retired from active law practice, indicating that issuing threats against a journalist who is covering a case involving his client, does not represent the conduct of anyone fit to continue in the active practice of the legal profession.
The vocal Liberian female lawyer, Cllr. Brown-Bull further told the court that Cllr. Abdullai is an aging man, who is exhibiting traits of mental derangement, insisting, therefore, that the 71-year-old be retired.
Throughout the trial, PUNCH is reliably told, Cllr. Abdullai visibly showed signs of mental instability, at times even presenting himself as having totally forgotten what actually led to him being dragged to court.
At the time of this report, PUNCH had confirmed that Cllr. Abdullai had not written his letter of apology, nor had he published same in any local newspaper, although, he has three more days out of a week given him to do so.
