Judge A. Blamo Dixon of Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia has found George Obi alias Original Japan and three others guilty for the distribution of drugs along the Japan Freeway.
The major landmark case which lasted for over two terms of court was a bench trial placing Judge Dixon as Jury Defacto and the Judge at the same time.
Judge Dixon found Japan guilty for the crime of Unlawful Maintenance and Distribution of Controlled Drug or Substances valued US$31, 625 or L$6,077,370, while the other three defendants to include Peter Mamah, Ndubusi Okonkwo and Bridgestone Harris were adjudged guilty for the crime of Criminals Conspiracy.
The ruling acquitted four of the defendants to include Sunday Udeh, Ivan Jamo, Ikwe David and Edwin Ozioko from answering to the alleged crimes of Unlawful Distribution and Sale of Controlled Drugs or Substances and Criminal Conspiracy.
According to Judge Dixon, the investigators at the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency were absolutely correct to have charged co-defendant Peter Mamah, Ndubusi Okorokwo and Bridgestone Harris with the alleged commission of the crime of Unlicensed Sale and Distribution of Controlled Drugs or Substances and Criminal Conspiracy.
Judge Dixon ruled that the rationale is that Defendants Mamah, Okorokwo and Harris were apprehended in the same room packaging the high substances and smoking marijuana according to evidence adduced in the case.
He judged that the LDEA investigators were correct to have charged Defendants Original Japan, Peter Mamah, Ndubusi Okorokwo and Bridgestone Harris with Criminal Conspiracy and the court is also inclined to hold them as charged by the Republic.
Judge Dixon’s in his Tuesday, January 28, 2025 ruling said, the evidence adduced also revealed that the other four defendants to include Sunday Udeh, Edwin Ozioko, Igwe David and Ivan Jamo were visitors who do not live in the compound of Original Japan.
On the other hand, Judge Dixon said Sunday Udeh went to original Japan to negotiate for the purchase of a Toyota Camry vehicle 2018 model which he Udeh offered to advance Original Japan US$3,000 to clear the vehicle from the Freeport of Monrovia.
Furthering, the Judge’s ruling revealed that co-defendants Edwin Ozioko, Igwe David and Ivan Jamo went to the shop of Original Japan to entertain themselves with drinks; Co-defendant Shelly Shelton served them with their respective drinks before Original Japan arrived in the shop.
Judge Dixon said the LDEA investigators were absolutely correct to have charged principal defendant George Obi alias Original Japan with the alleged commission of the crime of Unlawful Maintenance and Distribution of Controlled Drug or Substances; stating that the rationale is that Japan is the sole owner of the compound that the controlled drugs or substances were confiscated from by the officers of the LDEA.
He adjudged that the Writ of Search and Seizure was directly directed at Original Japan and his compound which was described in the warrant, as such, the defense of Japan that the drugs were allegedly found in the apartments of his tenants cannot hold because drugs were also allegedly found in his own apartment according to three of the witnesses for the state.
“Japan knew or had reason to know that drugs were trafficked, transited and distributed from his compound; therefore, the court is inclined to hold Japan as charged by the Republic,” said Dixon.
Judge Dixon said the evidence adduced in the case draws a logical conclusion that the principal Defendant Original Japan and co-defendants Peter Mamah, Ndubusi Okorokwo, and Bridgestone Harris are the main prime suspects who are directly linked and connected chain to chain to the evidence adduced in the case to warrant their conviction for the alleged commission of the crime.
The judge’s verdict revealed that evidence adduced in the case did not directly link and connect chain to chain all of the eight defendants undergoing trial.
During the trial, prosecution produced four general witnesses and three rebuttal witnesses while the defense produced eight witnesses.
The defendants were indicted on May 28, 2024, during the May A. D. Term of Court on the alleged crimes of Unlawful Maintenance and Distribution of Controlled Drugs or Substances, Unlicensed Sale and Distribution of Controlled Drugs or Substances and Criminal Conspiracy, after being arrested on February 21, 2024.
The four acquitted individuals were immediately released, and the court issued clearance documents for them.
Meanwhile, Judge Dixon ordered the Ministry of Justice to conduct a pre-sentencing investigation on the four convicted defendants to determine whether they are first-time offenders or habitual criminals. The report from the Probation Services Department is expected by February 24, 2025.
By T.Q. Lula Jaurey
