MONROVIA – The Assigned Circuit Judge for Criminal Court B for Montserrado County, His Honor Wesseh Alphonsus Wesseh, has objected to Defendant Bill Jallah Petition for Plea Bargaining Agreement in which he is seeking a plea confusion agreement with the prosecution.
Defendant Jallah’s lawyers, from the Central Law Offices, had filed a 6-count Plea Bargaining Agreement with court pleading with the court that he has taken responsibilities for the death of Ms. Prince Zoe, after he stabbed her multiple times at a local entertainment center on Duport Road, Paynesville in January 2025, which resulted to Princess’ death.
The prosecution has indicted defendant Jallah on account of committing multiple offenses, like murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault, after he allegedly stabbed and wounded several others individual, including his sister that tried to prevent him from killing the deceased.
When the case was called for trial, as was scheduled on August 27, 2025, Cllr. Jimmy Bobo, a private lawyer representing the defendant, brought the attention of the court to the plea bargaining agreement that was earlier filed by the defense team seeking a plea bargaining agreement with the court which intention is to mitigate his sentencing.
However, in response to the defense application for a plea confusion, the prosecution, led by Cllr. Isaac William, accepted the plea bargaining instrument filed by the defense, but called for the arraignment of Defendant Jallah so as to ascertain his plea as stated in his intention to consummate a plea bargaining agreement with the Prosecution.
In passing on the application for a plea bargaining agreement, Judge Wesseh rejected the application and said the trial court is never a party to a plea bargaining agreement.
The Judge also stated that one of the crimes for which the defendant was indicted is a murder, which is capital offense of the first degree felony, referencing Section 16.4 of the Civil procedure Law of Liberia, which among other thing provides that once a defendant is indicted for a capital offense, and pleads guilty during arraignment, the court may enter a not guilty plea in behalf of the defendant to compare the prosecution to present evidence against the defendant.
Judge Wesseh ordered the reading of the indictment to the defendant who then entered a “plea of guilty”, but was set aside by Judge Wesseh, setting the stage for the prosecution to present its evidence before the court which trial that will be presided over by Judge Wesseh, without a jury after the defense waived trial buy a jury.
Murder, under Liberian law, carries life imprisonment or death by hanging. The trial of the case was adjourned to resume on Thursday, August 28, 2025 at which time the prosecution will commence with the production of its evidence.