Liberia: Court Testimonies Undercut Media Allegations of Bribery in High-Profile Trafficking Case

Sworn testimony in Criminal Court 'A' last week directly contradicted earlier media reports alleging that Cllr. Bestman Juah, President of the Public Defenders Association of Liberia, was involved in a bribery scheme tied to an ongoing human trafficking trial.

Over several days of proceedings, every victim-witness who took the stand made no mention of Juah in connection with alleged bribes -- a stark contrast to prior reporting by FrontPage Africa and New Narratives.

Those outlets had cited unnamed sources claiming nine victims told investigators that Juah played a central role in offering payments to reduce charges against the accused traffickers.

Court records reviewed by the Daily Observer show Juah is neither counsel of record nor a public defender assigned to any defendant in the case.

None of the victims' testimonies mentioned payments, offers, or discussions involving Juah.

Witness statements did not repeat earlier media claims that Liberia National Police officers or state prosecutors were targeted with bribes to "dilute charges."

Testimonies centered on recruitment, payments made to defendants, confinement at a Paynesville compound, and forced online marketing work.

The absence of bribery allegations in open court has deepened scrutiny of pre-trial reporting that relied on unnamed sources and investigative interviews conducted before charges were formally filed.

The trial stems from 2025 complaints filed by Nimba County residents who say they paid more than $100,000 to a group of defendants -- including Daniel David, Preston Y. Logan, Boimah Saweah, Johnny Dahn, Shirley Suah, Bill Dorkor, Jerome Genseh, and others.

According to the complaint, defendants promised visas and jobs in Canada, then transported complainants to a private compound in Paynesville. There, prosecutors allege, victims were forced into an online marketing operation and denied refunds when they asked to leave.

The defendants face charges of trafficking in persons, theft of property, rape, misapplication of entrusted property, and criminal facilitation. They were arrested following a September 2025 writ and remain in pretrial detention at Monrovia Central Prison.

Cllr. Bestman Juah, as head of the Public Defenders Association of Liberia represents indigent defendants and has been a vocal figure for the Public Defenders' Program in Liberia. He has consistently advocated for additional budgetary support to the Public Defenders' Program aimed at addressing the logistical and operational needs of the Program.

Dunbar serves with the government's anti-human trafficking section of the Liberian National Police. Both have maintained that the allegations of bribery are false and unfounded.

Court 'A' is expected to hear final arguments in the case on Monday, July 6, 2026. Legal analysts note that variances between pre-trial reportage and actual in-court testimonies of victims are concerning.

The sworn testimonies on records contain no allegations against Cllr. Juah regarding alleged bribery.

It can be recalled that months of allegations linking prominent Liberian lawyer, Cllr. Bestman Juah to allegation of bribery and prosecutorial collusion in a major human trafficking case have been flatly debunked by certified court documents, prompting judicial officials and police to warn against misinformation in active trials.

The claims -- amplified on social media and published by FrontPage Africa and New Narratives -- alleged that Juah worked with prosecutors and police officers to secure favorable pretrial release for defendants accused of trafficking residents from Nimba County under the guise of Canadian travel opportunities.

But a sweeping review of judicial filings tells a completely different story.

Documents obtained by the Daily Observer from the Paynesville Magisterial Court, Criminal Court 'A', Criminal Court 'E', and the LNP's Trafficking in Persons Section contain no mention of Juah representing either side.

"The record speaks for itself," a Paynesville Magisterial Court staffer said. "At no point has Cllr. Bestman Juah appeared as counsel for the defense or prosecution in this matter."

Instead, certified minutes confirm Atty. Prince S. Conway handled the defense during preliminary hearings in October and November 2025. A March 18, 2026, bail motion filed in Criminal Court 'E' lists Cllr. Mamee S. W. Gongba Jr., Cllr. David M. Kolleh Jr., and Cllr. Pelvis Dolopei of Liberty Law Firm as counsel for the accused. Prosecution filings are equally explicit, with no reference to Juah.

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The case originated from 2025 complaints by Nimba County residents who say they paid more than US$100,000 to defendants including Daniel David, Preston Y. Logan, Boimah Saweah, Johnny Dahn, Shirley Suah, Bill Dorkor, Jerome Genseh, and others. The complaint further alleged that the defendants promised visas and jobs in Canada, then transported complainants to a private compound in Paynesville and forced them into an online marketing operation. Refund requests were allegedly refused.

The defendants now face charges of trafficking in persons, theft of property, rape, misapplication of entrusted property, and criminal facilitation. They were arrested following a September 2025 writ and remain in pretrial detention at Monrovia Central Prison.

A March 18, 2026, motion to admit several defendants to bail was argued before Criminal Court 'E', which is specifically hearing the rape allegations. The court reserved its ruling. Criminal Court 'A' retains custody of all defendants as proceedings continue.

View original source — AllAfrica ↗

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