Trenton, NJ USA – May 23, 2022l The legal case in the U.S. involving a major Liberian opposition figure remains pending, according to documentation seen by African Star, an online site over the weekend. Clayton County Magistrate Judge Charity R. Bridgewater – Photo courtesy of Clayton County, Georgia U. S.

Mr. Daniel E. Cassell was picked up in Atlanta, Georgia on March 17, 2022 by the Clayton County Sheriff Office on a case transferred by the State of New Jersey which initially charged him.

A Municipal Court in New Jersey lists the case against Dr. Cassell as W 202136, Offense 2C:21-4.3C – Healthcare Fraud – Intentional Fraud By Non-Practitioner – the offense which was committed on December 31, 2019.

Under NJ State Statute – Health Care Claims Fraud. N.J.S.A. 2C:21-4.3(c), The court must impose on a non-practitioner convicted of a second, third or fourth degree offense, “a fine of up to five times the pecuniary benefit obtained or sought to be obtained.” 

Before the case could go to trial, Dr. Cassell left the U.S. and set up camp in Liberia where he registered the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) and was certificated on December 21, 2020 by Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC) to participate in political activities in the West African country.

Dr. Cassell, however, made several trips back to the U.S. but avoided New Jersey where he was wanted to answer to the charges against him. Authorities in New Jersey obtained intelligence that the PLP leader was visiting Atlanta, Georgia and transferred the fugitive warrant to have him arrested.Clayton County Sheriff Cruiser

On March 17, 2022, Sheriff at the Clayton County office, acting on a Warrantless Arrest Affidavit, picked up Dr. Cassel and detained him at the Clayton County jail.
The arresting officer in his Affidavit to the Magistrate Court of Clayton County in Georgia stated, “…offender did enter and remain in the state of GA knowing he was wanted by Division of Criminal Justice, NJ for Fraud Warrant # DCJ21-16 a felony they will extradite.”

At 10 am on March 18, 2022, the defendant appeared  for his first court hearing and Case 2022WA05003 CB was then assigned to Magistrate Judge Charity R. Bridgewater.

The case is pending with nothing else on the calendar for now. A legal counsel in private practice in New Jersey told African Star that extradition cases may take time to wind through the court process.

African Star reported in March, that based on documents it obtained under a Freedom of Information request, the Standard Bearer of the opposition People’s Liberation Party (PLP) in Liberia, had agreed to sign a Waiver of Extradition to return to the State of New Jersey in the U.S. to face charges against him.
Dr. Daniel E. Cassell, PLP Standard Bearer – File photo

It is unclear when he is expected to be extradited to New Jersey. Dr. Cassell, a trained psychologist and mental health consultant, operated the Kwenyan Professional Health agency in Trenton, New Jersey which provided in-home and community mental and behavioral services under contract with the State.

On Sunday, when African Star visited the building in Trenton which houses the agency and observed that the place looked abandoned and overgrown with weed and brush. Utilities to the building appeared to be shut off.

Overgrown Weed Covering Signage of Kwenyan Associates in Trenton, NJ – Photo by African Star

A neighbor indicated that the building housing Kwenyan Professional Health Services operated by Dr. Cassell has been unoccupied since early 2020 at the start of the Covid 19 pandemic and that the neighborhood simply thought the closure of the agency was due to the pandemic.

Front Entrance of Kwenyan Associates in Trenton, NJ – Photo by African Star

Abandoned offices of Kwenyan Associates in Trenton, NJ – Photo by African Star

This paper has attempted to contact a PLP official David Benitoe to ascertain the current plans of the party since its Standard Bearer is still in the U.S. Justice system but there has been no response.
Also, it is unclear if the leadership of the PLP has dispatched a team of lawyers to the U.S. to ascertain the facts around the detention of their party leader, as they announced prior.

After news broke of the arrest and detention of the accused Dr. Cassell in the U.S. in late March, some skeptical partisans dismissed the matter saying they expected their Standard Bearer to return to Liberia shortly from the U.S.

However, it appears the level of skepticism among some partisans has dissipated since the PLP leader has yet to return home to prepare the party to participate in local by-elections and the General and Presidential Elections in 2023 in which he was hoping to contest.

Under American law, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  

Courtesy of African Star online