Africa-Press – Liberia. Arthur Chan-Chan, an ex-agent of the National Security Agency has been unanimously found guilty of human trafficking—the first person with a direct link to the Liberian government to be convicted of the charge following a landmark trial. Ten of the twelve jurors in case at Criminal Court “A” said they agreed with state prosecutors that Chan-Chan had committed the crime. After the verdict, Judge Roosevelt Willie ordered the probation office at the Justice Ministry to submit Chan-Chan’s pre-sentence report to him next Wednesday. The report on Chan-Chan’s background from his family, friends, ex-workmates, and neighbors, will determine the length of his sentence by Wille.
Liberia’s amended anti-human trafficking law provides for up to 20 years as a minimum sentence for convicts of human trafficking.
During their final argument on Thursday, state lawyers said Chan-Chan, who was assigned at the Roberts International Airport prior to his arrest and detention, abused his position by trafficking many women, two of whom testified against him in the case.
“Arthur was the head. He was the conduit, said Wesseh A. Wesseh Liberia’s Acting Solicitor General. “Without him, the girls would not have been trafficked. He was using his position at the airport to exploit these girls….to traffic them under deception.”
Cllr. Wesseh expressed excitement about the verdict afterwards.
“It will serve as a deterrent to individuals who want to use their positions in the public or private sectors to engage in Trafficking In Persons (TIP).”
Cllr. Sennay Carlor, Chan-Chan’s lead lawyer declined to comment on the verdict but had restated the defense’s line of argument in court earlier in the day that Chan-Chan was innocent of the charge.
“The case here is false allegation,” he said. “This is a false allegation placed on this poor man who has been in jail since last September. The man is suffering in jail.”
Arthur’s conviction comes as the Liberian government strives to improve its standing in the US annual TIP report on a matter that has plagued the country’s international image.
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