MONROVIA – Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, denied a motion filed by defense lawyers in the Capitol Building arson trial seeking to suppress key evidence, ruling that the medical reports and other submissions raised no sufficient grounds to discard the prosecution’s case.
The defense had argued that the defendants were sodomized and tortured while in state custody, and therefore evidence obtained during interrogation should be thrown out. To determine the validity of these claims, the court ordered a medical examination by Dr. Philip Zochonis Ireland of AMI Expeditionary Healthcare.
In his findings, Dr. Ireland acknowledged significant limitations in his assessment. “The passage of time between the alleged incidents and the examinations obscured or altered physical findings,” he wrote. He further cited “the inherent limitations of available diagnostic modalities within our present setting,” adding that patient consent for certain examinations, particularly genital and anal assessments, had been revoked.
Despite these constraints, Dr. Ireland assured the court that he endeavored to provide “a thorough, impartial, and professionally grounded account of the clinical evidence before me.” He documented scar wounds and illnesses on some defendants but concluded that these conditions could not be definitively linked to torture.
Judge Willie, in reviewing the report, stated: “While we cannot definitely state that the account was conclusive to enable us make the informed decision necessary to suppress the evidence, we do recognize and appreciate the effort made by the AMI Expeditionary Healthcare through Dr. Philip Zochonis Ireland. However, we cannot fully rely on the information to suppress the evidence.”
The court also noted that during the medical evaluation, all defendants denied sexual assault and retracted consent for examinations of their genital and anal regions. This, Judge Willie ruled, undermined the defense’s claims of sodomy.
On the issue of torture, the judge pointed out that the defendants were represented by legal counsels Cllr. Jonathan T. Massaquoi, Atty. Martin J.S. Corlon, and Atty. Ekwe Berard during interrogation, and no allegations of abuse were raised at the time.
Citing Article 21(c) of the 1986 Constitution, Judge Willie emphasized that the defendants’ rights were explained to them and their lawyers were present throughout questioning. He dismissed the argument that their fundamental rights were violated.
“WHEREFORE, and in view of the foregoing, the Court says based on the facts, the medical report, and the law cited herein, the Motion to Suppress the Evidence is hereby denied and this case is ordered proceeded forthwith,” Judge Willie declared in his ruling.
The trial, which has attracted national attention due to the high-profile nature of the Capitol Building arson case, is scheduled to resume on Friday, September 26, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
One of the defense counsels took exception to the ruling, which Judge Willie noted for the record.
