After exactly two terms of court battle in a US$100k theft case involving Pastor Abraham Benjamin of the Christ Embassy Church and US based Liberian, Christina Mamtu Singbah, a twelve-man jury have returned a unanimous not guilty verdict against the man of God.
After the verdict was read, Judge A. Blamo Dixon of Criminal Court “C” therefore ordered the clerk to issue Pastor Benjamin a clearance, indicating that he is now a free man.
The judge furthered ordered Benjamin’s release from all detentions and commanded him not to answer to any of the charges relative to the case.
Speaking to journalists after the verdict, Benjamin, who was tears, said he did not steal US$100k from his fiancée’ Christina Singbah and his over two years of imprisonment was for nothing.
“The Police took me from my house to Central Police Station; I was tortured for four hours; I was detained for eight days without food, after the police officers forced me to make a statement which I was not represented by a lawyer,” Pastor Benjamin explained.
Accordingly to him, it is a diabolical lie that he entirely misapplied US$100,000 sent to him by his wife through Send Wave, RIA, LBDI Bank and MoneyGram.
He indicated that the construction works that was undertaken by him before his arrest and incarceration based on the money allegedly remitted to him by his wife, “I was able to construct a fence, a modern well and I started a new project which is a three story building with twenty four rooms”.
Benjamin narrated that he received a forty feet container, but it was not for his wife Singbah alone; it was for four persons including Madam Sharon Saybah Kennedy, Kollie Walker and his wife Christina Singbah.
“Christina Singbah lied that she sent me US$4,500 to purchase 600 bags of cement,” he narrated. But he instead testified that the US$4,500 was the money they generated from sale of goods.
He denied of owning the original receipts of the container sent to Liberia and that Madam Singbah has all her receipts with her in America.
According to him, the both of them credited some goods which cost US$4,000 from an Indian businessman, and the man was asking for his money, so they agreed that they give the man half of his money which is US$2,000, then some will go for cement, as they only bought one hundred and forty-two (142) bags of cement.
“We paid for that amount of cement and the rest of the money went for concrete mixer mechanic and some woods for the profile and reservoir,” he explained.
Talking about their marital status, Pastor Benjamin said he and Madam Singbah got married on March 17, 2018 and the wedding was blessed by the Christ Embassy Head Pastor, Alfred W. Mayson on March 18, 2018.
He stated said they have been married four years with no child since Madam Singbah has been based in America.
Benjamin said that they obtained their certificate of marriage from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
“I have several photographs and videos including my marriage photosm,” Benjamin told the court.
Benjamin was indicted by the Grand Jury of Montserrado County and charged for the crimes of Misappropriation of Entrusted Property and Theft of Property.
But taking the witness stand, Madam Singbah denied of getting married to Pastor Benjamin whom she admitted was her ex-boyfriend. She said though Benjamin engaged her but there was never a wedding ceremony.
Madam Singbah explained that she sent the US$100k to Pastor Benjamin between 2012 ending up to 2018, to construct a three story building on her parcel of land containing two lots in Margibi County.
“I was overseas when I paid for the clearing of the container that happens to be in the name of Pastor Benjamin, and he was the one that had the original document because he was the one that received the container upon arrival,” she said.
