US$3.5m Damage Case On Ice By FocusNewspaper (L-R)Cllr. Cooper Kruah and Atty. Arthur Johnson It started well and in accordance with the Civil Procedure Law between lawyers representing Embassy Suites Hotel and Ecobank-Liberia in the ongoing US$3.5m damage trial at the Civil Law Court at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia. But heads broke loose after one of the petty jurors identified as Elizabeth Belleh sitting in the trial was removed by the trial court judge Johnson Z. Zlahn based on an allegation made by Ecobank’s lawyers that the jury was in conversation with one of plaintiff witnesses in person of Mr. Aaron B. Solomon. Juror Belleh who was removed from the panel was allegedly spotted at the offices of Embassy Suites Hotel’s lawyer Cllr. Cooper Kruah something which Ecobank’s lawyers believed could hamper the ongoing trial. Ecobank’s lawyers led by Attorney-at-Law Atty. Arthur Johnson according to him arrested Belleh with the help of some plain clothes security officers from the Liberia National Police at the offices of Cllr. Cooper Kruah on Benson Street on January 6, 2015 during the evening hours. But Cllr. Kruah has since denied said allegation and said that lawyers of Ecobank have deployed delay tactics because they lack evidence to produce in the ongoing case and that they do not want the trial continue. Jury Belleh was removed from the panel by presiding Judge Zlahn during the hearing of the ongoing trial following an application made by lawyers representing Ecobank-Liberia in open court. However, it is unclear as to what action or charges will be brought against juror Belleh by authority of the Liberia National Police following the completion of the investigation which is still ongoing at the headquarters of the LNP. Judge Zlahn said in his ruling after an investigation was conducted by the court that juror Belleh may serve on another jury during this term of court if she is selected. During the trial, Ecobank’s lawyers led by Atty. Arthur T. Johnson made an application that juror Belleh while serving on the panel was in constant conversation with one of Embassy Suites Hotel or plaintiff witnesses in person of witness Aaron B. Solomon. The lawyers informed the court that juror Belleh and witness Solomon exchanged or were in the process of exchanging telephone numbers. At the same time, Judge Zlahn has disbanded the entire jurors’ panel following an application made by Ecobank’s lawyers against juror Belleh for fear she could influence or serve as mediator between the jurors and Cllr. Kruah. Embassy Suites Hotel located in Monrovia filed a lawsuit against Ecobank-Liberia for damages in the tone of US$3.5m. Embassy Suites Hotel alleged in its complaint filed in 2014 that caused it so much damages including the closure of said hotel for several times making it to lose customers and contract. Court documents revealed that Embassy Suites Hotel owner through another company allegedly took a loan in the tone of US$1.5 from Ecobank-Liberia, but yet to pay said loan. Ecobank-Liberia has since filed lawsuit against management of Embassy Suites Hotel at the Commercial Court at the Temple of Justice as Management of Embassy Suites Hotel has been entangled with said lawsuit.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 20:23:11 +0000