The Presiding Judge of Criminal Court “A”, Roosevelt Z. Willie, has ordered the release of 46 pretrial detainees from the Monrovia Central Prison (South Beach) after ruling that their continued detention violates Liberia’s statutory and constitutional guarantees of speedy trial. The detainees form part of 219 inmates expected to be freed “without prejudice to the state,” meaning charges may be refiled if the government later decides to prosecute.
Judge Willie cited Sections 18.1 and 18.2 of Liberia’s Criminal Procedure Law, which govern the dismissal of criminal complaints and indictments: Section 18.1 allows a prosecuting attorney such as those from the Ministry of Justice to request dismissal of an entire case or selected charges with court approval. Section 18.2 requires the court to dismiss complaints or indictments if the state fails to indict or try defendants within the next succeeding court term, unless “good cause” is shown. Judge Willie noted that several detainees had spent 8 to 19 court terms equivalent to two to four years without indictment, a clear violation of their constitutional and international rights.
Those released by Judge Willie face charges ranging from Murder, Theft of Property, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal Facilitation, Aggravated Assault, Manslaughter, Trafficking, Kidnapping, among other crimes.
Those inmates released include Alieu Kamara, Abraham Marland, Louis Demen, Blesing Sherman, Emmanuel Momo, Mark Moore Demand, Jerome Brown, Mark David, Clarence Swen, Alfred Tucker, Moses Sanioe, among others, including three females.
Prison authorities told the court that overcrowding has become extreme, with detainees “sleeping on each other,” which the Judge said further justified enforcing statutory timelines. The ruling followed a motion filed by defense counsel Sennay Carlor II, who argued that the state has failed and neglected to prosecute the detainees in accordance with law.
Following the release, legal analysts are urging the Government of Liberia to accelerate the completion of the Cheesemanburg Prison Facility to ease overcrowding at South Beach and ensure compliance with statutory deadlines. This is not the first time Judge Willie has taken such action. In April 2025, Judge Willie released over 100 detainees after defense lawyers led by Cllr. Carlor II and Aloysius Toe filed a motion citing statutory delay.
The Judge also freed 17 inmates, some held for six to nine years without indictment, after finding severe violations of Article 21(f) and (h) of the Constitution of Liberia 1986 and Section 18.2. During those releases, Judge Willie repeatedly warned the detainees that they were freed not because they were innocent, but because the state failed to prosecute them as the law requires. Before the release of the 46 detainees, Judge Willie ordered the Clerk of Court to record the personal details of all those discharged, including their addresses and contact numbers.
