The Resident Judge of Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia has temporarily released a lady identified as Masnah Somah, 18, after giving birth to a male child while in detention at the Monrovia Central Prison.
Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie’s action was based on a communication from the Ministry of Justice on June 3, 2024 requesting the court for the issuance of release for two of its female defendants to include Masnah Somah who given birth in prison, and Mariama Tucker who was in labor pain in the cell.
Based on the communication, Judge Willie immediately ordered the Clerk of Court to release from further detention defendants Somah and Tucker who were charged with Aggravated Assault.
On June 3, 2024, Cllr. Alhaji Swahilo A. Sesay, Montserrado County Acting Attorney, received a letter from the office of the Monrovia Central Prison Superintendent complaining about the health condition of the two female defendants that were pregnant on admission by Magistrate John Briggs of the Bushrod Island Magisterial Court.
The communication alleged that Defendant Masnah Somah, since her incarceration with the pregnancy, has been taken to the JFK Hospital for her regular maternity check up until the time of her labor.
“Last week as she was nearing her labor, she was finally taken to the JFK where she gave birth to a boy and after a week, she and the baby were discharged back to the prison facility that does not have the means to accommodate baby accompanying mother to custody. As it stands with her case right now, we have reached out to her next of kins in
persons of (a) Tena Chea, contact number: 0778 144 172, address Water Street, Monrovia and (b) Kebbeh Kollie, contact number: 0775 237 528 of the same address so as to serve as surety for the release of the defendant in question,” the letter stated.
Also, “Defendant Mariama Tucker is also nearing her labor as we are told by the hospital and may likely experience the same situation like Masnah Somah if precautions are not taken, but in her case, her in-law in person of Mrs.
Diana Doe who has paid a portion of the treatment cost as was requested by the victim’s family through the Magisterial court is her available surety with contact number: 0776 302 401, address Duala, Bushrod Island, Monrovia,” the Superintendent furthered.
Prison authorities pleaded with Cllr. Sesay for medical compassion release for these two female pretrial defendants of whom one has already given birth in prison and the other is about to give birth while in custody.
