– Want Independent Medical Examination
By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson, I.
Defendants in the Capitol Building arson case have told the court that they cannot trust the government-owned John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital (JFK) to conduct their medical examinations. In a motion filed before the court, they argued that the hospital’s ties to the Ministry of Justice compromise its independence and could bias results in favor of the prosecution.
The defendants, who are facing charges ranging from arson, criminal mischief, conspiracy, solicitation, intent to commit murder, aggravated assault, illegal possession of firearm, release of destructive forces, reckless endangerment, and theft of property, contend that JFK has a memorandum of understanding with the Justice Ministry to treat pretrial detainees. They insist that this financial and institutional relationship denies the hospital the neutrality required to examine individuals being prosecuted by the same government.
In their motion, the defendants allege that they were tortured by agents of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Liberia National Police (LNP), leaving them with serious health complications, including blurred vision and urinary problems marked by reddish urine. They argue that only a team of independent medical practitioners can provide an impartial assessment of their conditions.
The defendants claim that the abuse they suffered at the NSA headquarters involved beatings, waterboarding, and flashing bright lights in their faces, which they say caused long-term damage to their health. They described the actions of state security as “gross violations” of their constitutional rights and warned that without urgent medical intervention, their conditions could deteriorate to life-threatening levels.
They also pleaded with the court for “compassion and humanitarian consideration”, stressing that their visible scars and bruises confirm their claims and render them unfit for further pretrial detention.
The motion concludes by requesting the court to grant an order for an independent medical examination and any other relief deemed fair, just, and legal.
