ROBERTSPORT, December 11 (LINA) - The Fifth Judicial Circuit Court in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County has sentenced 22 year-old Joseph Kollie to ten years imprisonment for raping a 14 year-old girl.

According to the Liberia News Agency, the man was sentenced on Wednesday by Judge Amy Musu Jones who in her ruling cautioned the defendant to be law-abiding while serving his sentence.

Kollie was arrested on May 22, 2014 by security in Kinjor, Rock village, Gola Konneh District in Grand Cape Mount County by personnel of the Liberia National Police and forwarded to Robertsport for prosecution following preliminary investigation.

Following the Judge’s ruling, the lawyer representing the defendant, Counselor Boima Paasewe, filed a six-count motion for retrial on grounds that the weight of evidence produced by the state was contrary to the jurors’ verdict that brought down defendant Kollie guilty which, he said, contravenes section 22.1 (E, F, and G) of the Criminal Procedure Law of Liberia.

The defendant’s lawyer also accused Judge Jones of allegedly refusing to give the proper charge by misdirecting the charge to the jurors’
verdict.

The County Attorney, Abraham Simpson, however requested the court to throw the motion out on grounds that there is no basis for the motion, something which was accepted by Judge Jones.
LINA