Published: May 23, 2026
MONROVIA — Court records reviewed by this paper show that suspects linked to a high-profile human trafficking and alleged US$100,000 fraud case remain in custody at the Monrovia Central Prison, contradicting reports that they were expected to be released in April 2026.
The case, which remains active before Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice, involves several defendants, including Daniel David, Preston Y. Logan, Boimah Saweah, Johnny Dahn, Shirley Suah, Bill Dorkor, Jerome Genseh and others.
The defendants are facing multiple charges, including trafficking in persons, theft of property, misapplication of entrusted property and criminal facilitation.
Victims Allegedly Promised Travel to Canada
According to the complaint, several residents of Nimba County allegedly paid more than US$100,000 to the defendants after being promised opportunities to travel to Canada.
Instead, complainants alleged they were transported to Montserrado County, confined within a private compound and introduced to an online marketing operation. Victims further claimed that repeated requests for refunds were ignored.
Court records show that a writ of arrest was issued in September 2025 ordering the defendants to appear before the Paynesville Magisterial Court for preliminary examinations.
Preliminary Hearings and Investigation
Documents reviewed by this paper indicate that the preliminary hearings lasted several months after defense lawyer Atty. Prince S. Conway requested a full examination of the evidence.
The matter was later forwarded to the Trafficking in Persons Section of the Liberia National Police for additional investigation before the defendants were formally charged and transferred to court.
The accused have remained in pretrial detention since their incarceration at the Monrovia Central Prison.
Certified court minutes from hearings conducted between October and November 2025 contain witness testimonies, objections from defense lawyers and legal arguments presented during proceedings. The records reviewed did not contain any official finding or evidence of bribery connected to the case.
Court Records Reject Claims Linking Cllr. Juah
The investigation also established that Cllr. Bestman Juah, whose name reportedly surfaced in public discussions surrounding the matter, was not listed in court records as either prosecutor or defense counsel during proceedings before the police, magisterial court or circuit court.
Sources familiar with the matter said prosecutors initially attempted to enter a plea of nolle prosequi in favor of the defendants after objections were raised by defense counsel, including arguments that the original charges had been filed without a full police inquiry into the allegations.
The Ministry of Justice later referred the matter to the police trafficking unit for additional investigation. Following that process, the case was refiled through a police charge sheet and subsequently transferred to Criminal Court “A.”
Bail Motion Still Pending
Court records from the First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assizes “E,” dated March 18, 2026, also show that additional defense lawyers filed a motion seeking to admit some of the defendants to bail.
Arguments on the motion were heard pro et con, with the court reserving its ruling.
According to court minutes, the motion involved defendants Wuozekarso Garteh, Maxson Wonlebah and Jerome Genseh. Prosecutors from the Ministry of Justice and lawyers from the Liberty Law Firm, including Counselors Mamee S. W. Gongba Jr. and David M. Kolleh Jr., appeared before the court to argue the application.
The records further show that the defendants were absent from the dock during the hearing, while both prosecution and defense counsel announced readiness to proceed.
Defense lawyers cited Chapter 13, Subsection 13.5 of Liberia’s Criminal Procedure Law and requested the court to take judicial notice of the writ of arrest filed in the case.
However, no final ruling contained in the records reviewed by this paper indicated that the defendants had been released from custody.
The matter remains before the court, and no trial has yet commenced.
Under Liberian law, all accused persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of competent jurisdiction.
Police Deny Secret Release Allegations
Meanwhile, sources close to the Trafficking in Persons Section of the Liberia National Police have strongly denied allegations that suspects connected to the case were secretly released from custody.
According to the sources, the claims circulating in public discussions are “false, misleading and intended to damage the credibility” of those involved.
The sources maintained that all defendants connected to the matter remain under the jurisdiction of the court and security authorities, with due legal processes continuing.
Police sources also clarified that Cllr. Bestman Juah was never involved in the case in any capacity, describing attempts to link him to the matter as “completely unfounded.”
Authorities emphasized that the Trafficking in Persons Section remains committed to combating human trafficking and related crimes across Liberia, warning that misinformation surrounding sensitive investigations could undermine public confidence and interfere with ongoing judicial proceedings.
The Liberia National Police has meanwhile urged the public and media institutions to verify information before publication and avoid spreading unconfirmed allegations that could prejudice ongoing investigations.
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