By Jacqueline L. Dennis
Monrovia, Liberia – Lawyers representing convicted murderer Sam Wordobah have filed a motion at Criminal Court “B,” requesting either a retrial or a modification of the jury’s verdict, citing what they describe as serious legal and evidentiary flaws that denied their client a fair trial.
The defense, led by Cllr. Sennay Carlor, argues that the jury’s guilty verdict against Wordobah was not supported by the weight of the evidence and was tainted by judicial missteps.
Conflicting Testimonies
The motion points to what the defense called “glaring contradictions” in the prosecution’s case. Specifically, Mary Kollie, sister of the deceased Samuel Kollie, testified that her brother complained of stomach pain after eating food prepared by the family following surgery performed by the defendant. She claimed he died shortly afterward.
However, prosecution witness Eddie O. Kun, a police supervisor in the Criminal Services Department, testified that Kollie was already dead when he arrived at Wordobah’s clinic. The defense contends that this contradiction undermines the prosecution’s theory of the case and fails to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
From Manslaughter to Murder
The defense also argued that Wordobah was initially charged with manslaughter by police investigators, not murder. They claim the decision to upgrade the charge to murder during trial was not supported by evidence strong enough to meet the legal standard required under Liberian law.
Judicial Missteps Alleged
Cllr. Carlor’s motion further accuses the presiding judge of prejudicing the jury. The defense says the judge instructed jurors to consider only a unanimous guilty or not-guilty verdict, without informing them of the legal option of a hung jury.
They also allege that in delivering jury instructions, the judge referenced arguments lifted directly from the prosecution’s memorandum, which the defense says tilted the proceedings unfairly in favor of the state.
“The court is duty-bound to defend the weak against the strong,” Carlor wrote in an affidavit. “Judges are not merely appointed to an office; they are consecrated to the adjudication of rights and must avoid any conduct that questions their impartiality.”
Background of the Case
A jury recently convicted Wordobah of murdering Samuel P. Kollie following an unauthorized surgical procedure. Wordobah, who is not a licensed medical doctor, was accused of operating on the victim after diagnosing him with appendicitis and hepatitis B, despite the fact that Kollie had initially sought treatment for dental pain.
Prosecutors argued that the botched procedure directly caused Kollie’s death. But the defense insists the evidence does not support a murder conviction.
Next Steps
The motion calls on the court to set aside the jury’s guilty verdict or grant a new trial, stressing that justice, equity, and due process require nothing less.
The court is expected to review the motion in the coming days before ruling on whether Wordobah will face a new trial or proceed to sentencing under the current verdict.
