MONROVIA – The prosecution in the high-profile arson case involving multiple defendants, including Abu Kamara, Thomas Etheridge, and Jerry Pokah, also known as Tyrese, has come under scrutiny after delivering critical discovery documents well past the legally mandated deadline. The move has raised concerns about due process and the fairness of the upcoming trial.

Court proceedings at Criminal Court “A” on Thursday revealed that the prosecution submitted key materials, including witness lists, evidentiary records, and expert analyses, just days before the trial was scheduled to begin. Legal provisions require timely disclosure of such documents to allow the defense adequate time to prepare.

Defense attorneys objected strongly, describing the late submission as “procedurally abusive” and a violation of their clients’ constitutional rights to prepare a proper defense. They argued that the delayed disclosure hindered their ability to review evidence and file pre-trial motions, including requests for a change of venue.

County Attorney Scott, representing the prosecution, countered the claims, stating, “Receiving discovery as 7 p.m. yesterday (Wednesday, August 27, 2025) is not a ground to ask for continuance since, in fact, there are several processes before the defendants to introduce evidence and therefore, they have nothing to do and cannot claim that they will be injurious to their cause.” He added that the defense’s request for a change of venue would not depend on the timing of the discovery submission.

Presiding Judge Willie acknowledged the purpose of discovery in trials, explaining that it exists to provide sufficient time for the opposing party to respond to submitted documents. He noted that the defense had several valid reasons for requesting timely disclosure, arguing that the late delivery did not allow enough time to review the evidence and prepare potential pre-trial motions.

“This court believes that submitting documents late Wednesday night was insufficient for the defense team,” Judge Willie stated. Considering that the defense only reviewed the evidence on Wednesday, August 27, the court deferred proceedings to Tuesday, September 2, 2025, to allow adequate preparation time.

Like this:

Like Loading…