SANNIQUELLIE, Nimba – Hearings into the murder case involving disrobed police sergeant Sensee Kowo and two others begin today at 2:00 p.m. at the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court in Sanniquellie.

On September 17, the court directed the county sheriff, William G. Layweh, to notify the parties involved in the murder case of Samuel Selleh to appear for trial.

Sensee Kowo, Martin Dolo, and Rancy Dolo were indicted for murder, after they reportedly caused the death of the commercial motorcyclist on March 8, 2020 in Ganta.

In the indictment, the Grand Jury said the defendants “purposely, knowingly, wickedly, unmercifully, intentionally, and criminally killed (murdered) the now decedent Samuel Selleh when they acted in concert by choking the decedent on his neck and at the same time beating him with a deadly weapon (baton) on his body.”

The court hearing is only being arranged after commercial motorcyclists in Nimba and the family of the deceased threatened to stage protests that would disrupt the impending 2020 senatorial election in Nimba.

The motorcyclists had argued that the prolonged detention of the defendants at the Sanniquellie Central Prison without trial was a deliberate attempt by the court to deny justice to Samuel Selleh. Liberian law does not permit the legal system to continue to hold pre-trial detainees for longer than two court terms without trial.

Meanwhile, many observers are raising concerns about whether the case can be fairly tried, given that Sensee Kowo is related to a top executive of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change, Janga Kowo.

Meanwhile, Nimba’s county attorney, John Miah, said the scheduling of the case was not because of pressure from the victim’s family or motorcyclists. He promised that the family would receive justice: “I have an array of lawyers from the Ministry of Justice that will help to ensure justice is served the family of the deceased.”

Featured photo by Jerry Myers