By Lincoln G. Peters
The government of Liberia, acting through the Ministry of Justice, has filed a motion to remove Juror J30-9550, Antoinette Mulbah, from the jury panel presiding over the Capitol Building arson case.
This move comes amid allegations that Mulbah is affiliated with the former ruling party, the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). The prosecution’s latest request follows two prior efforts to remove jurors over similar claims of political bias.
Recently, the prosecution sought the removal of Juror J30-9819, alleging political bias and presenting photographs purportedly showing the juror at a campaign event for defendant Abu Kamara.
However, Criminal Court ‘A’ Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie denied this request, citing the prosecution’s failure to authenticate the photographs or establish a clear connection between the juror and the campaign.
Judge Willie also highlighted the ease of digital image manipulation and found that the images did not match the jurors’ official records. As a result, the court concluded that there was no proven bias or conflict and allowed the juror to remain on the panel.
But on Monday, December 1, 2025, the prosecution filed a new motion seeking the removal of Juror J30-9550, Antoinette Mulbah. This filing disrupted the day’s court proceedings, allowing the defense time to respond to the allegations.
The prosecution contends that Mulbah lied under oath during the hearing by claiming she did not know or have dealings with any of the defendants. They argue that this constitutes jury misconduct.
The motion asserts that Mulbah is a prominent member of the CDC, serving as chairlady of District 13 in Montserrado County. The prosecution submitted photographs as evidence, allegedly showing Mulbah in party-affiliated roles and being celebrated as chairperson/coordinator of her party.
They argue that her political position makes it unlikely she would not know other key party executives, including the defendants.
The prosecution cites Chapter 19, Sub-section 19.3(3) of the Criminal Procedure Law of Liberia as the legal basis for their request. They emphasize that their objection is not due to Mulbah’s political association—an acknowledged constitutional right—but rather her alleged dishonesty during jury selection. The prosecution maintains that its right to an impartial jury obligates it to bring such concerns before the court, or risk waiving the right to object for cause.
They conclude that Mulbah’s purportedly false answers indicate she lacks the ability to be unbiased or impartial and thus should not remain on the jury panel.
The prosecution requests that the court remove Mulbah and order her replacement by the National Jury Management Office.
The court has yet to rule on the prosecution’s latest motion. The defense has been granted time to evaluate and respond to the allegations against Juror Antoinette Mulbah. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah
