The act of county attorney, lead government lawyers interfering and undermining access to justice, was visibly witnessed on Saturday, October 19, in the courtroom of the Karlokon Magisterial Court, Maryland County.
Maryland County hosts the 4th Judicial Circuit Court.
Upon the alleged telephone conversation between Associate Stipendiary Magistrate and County Attorney, Cllr Philips discontinued the trial of a Lebanese national- Karem Fazah, accused of being involved in unlicensed mining in the county.
Farah was arrested and charged with multiple charges, including criminal conspiracy and facilitation and criminal trespasses and illegal dealing in mineral based on a complaint from a Korean national, Hungichi Choi, which trial was scheduled for Saturday.
Choi, a resident of Pogbaken Town, alleged that he is a licensed holder to deal in coltan in the country, and he has paid US12,000 to the locals to mine the minthe area.
In April and May 2024, Defendant Fazah, without any license from the government, entered on his mining claims in the town and illegally bought the minimal from some of the locals.
According to eyewitnesses, neither Cllr. Phillips nor the City Solicitor; both of whom are the only prosecutors in the county, made any presence at the court on Saturday. This was because the City Solicitor informed Magistrate Williams and Cllr. Philips about the inclusion of Cllr. Roland Bishop Doe, Choi’s private lawyer, to the prosecution team.
This claim Philips alluded to when he was contacted by this paper through a mobile phone immediately after the incident.
“I stopped the case because there were no state prosecutors in the courtroom, and I could not allow a private lawyer to act on behalf of the state,” Cllr. Philips justified his action, contrary to information given by the City Solicitor that Philips was in the know that the private lawyer was aligning with the state due to the inadequacy of prosecutors in the county, particularly the Magisterial Courts.
It is reported that only one city solicitor in the county covers the five magisterial courts in the county.
“I don’t know what he had to stop the case when I had earlier informed him that I made a request before the court announcing the lawyer to represent the state.”