Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie has ordered the release of an additional eleven pretrial detainees from the Monrovia Central Prison (South Beach) ruling that their continuous detention violates Liberia’s statutory and constitutional guarantees of a speedy trial.
The eleven detainees are among 219 inmates expected to be released ‘without prejudice to the State,’ meaning prosecutors may refile charges against them should the government decide to proceed with prosecution in the future.
In his ruling, Judge Willie relied on Sections 18.1 and 18.2 of Liberia’s Criminal Procedure Law, which govern the dismissal of criminal complaints and indictments. Section 18.1 permits prosecuting attorneys to seek dismissal of criminal cases or specific charges with approval from the court, while Section 18.2 mandates dismissal when the State fails to indict or bring defendants to trial within the next succeeding court term, unless good cause is shown.
Judge Willie noted that several of the detainees had remained behind bars for between 16 and 19 court terms equivalent to approximately two to four years without indictment, describing the situation as a clear violation of both domestic and international legal standards protecting the rights of accused persons.
The released inmates had been charged with various offenses, including murder, theft of property, robbery, manslaughter, armed robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, illegal possession of controlled drugs or substances, kidnapping, and trafficking in persons.
Those released are Johnny Tugbeh, Titus A. Greeves, Moses Doe, Kelvin Dour, Robert K. Blateh, Abraham Wesseh, James Togbah, Matthew Peters, Isaac Mulbah, Cyrus Logan, and T.K. Martin.
During the proceedings, Judge Willie disclosed that the Monrovia Central Prison currently houses approximately 1,680 inmates, despite having been originally constructed in the 1970s to accommodate only about 375 prisoners.
The Judge observed that the court is now compelled to release detainees who have remained incarcerated far beyond the statutory limit, with some spending more than 16 to 19 court terms in detention instead of the legally permissible period.
Prison authorities informed the court that overcrowding at the facility has reached critical levels with inmates reportedly sleeping on each other. Judge Willie said the severe overcrowding further underscore the need to enforce statutory deadlines and constitutional protections.
The ruling followed a motion filed by defense counsel Cllr. Sennay Carlor II who argued that the Government of Liberia had failed and neglected to prosecute the detainees within the timeframe required by law.
In the wake of the latest releases, legal analysts have renewed calls for the Government of Liberia to accelerate completion of the Cheesemanburg Prison Facility to help reduce overcrowding at South Beach and improve compliance with legal detention standards.
This is not the first time Judge Willie has ordered the release of detainees on grounds of prolonged detention. In April 2025, he released more than 100 detainees after defense lawyers, including Cllr. Sennay Carlor II and Cllr. Aloysius Toe, filed a motion citing statutory delays in prosecution.
On another occasion, he ordered the release of 17 inmates, some of whom had spent between six and nine years in detention without indictment, after finding serious violations of Article 21(f) and (h) of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia and Section 18.2 of the Criminal Procedure Law.
In each instance, Judge Willie emphasized that the detainees were being released not because they had been found innocent, but because the State failed to prosecute them within the period prescribed by law.
He further instructed the released detainees to report to Criminal Court “A” every Thursday at 1:30 p.m. to sign the court attendance register, warning that failure to comply could result in their rearrest and return to custody.
Prior to their release, Judge Willie directed the Clerk of Court to document the personal information of all discharged detainees, including their residential addresses and contact details, to ensure their availability should the State decide to revive the cases. The latest ruling adds to growing concerns over prolonged pretrial detention, prison overcrowding, and delays in the administration of justice within Liberia’s criminal justice system.
