By Lincoln G. Peters
A magisterial court in Monrovia has committed former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott and three of her family members to detention at the city’s maximum prison, South Beach.
Well-armed riot police escorted Cllr. Scott, Rebecca Youdeh Wilson, Gertrude Newton, and Alice C. Johnson to the Monrovia Central Prison on charges of murder, criminal conspiracy, and [providing] false reports to law enforcement officials.
They were charged and sent to court Thursday, 22 June 2023 after several months of police investigation about the murder of Cllr. Scott’s daughter Charloe Musu.
Charloe’s death in February this year shocked the country and heightened security fears.
She was murdered at Cllr. Scott’s residence after the former Chief Justice reported to police authorities two separate incidents of alleged armed robbery attacks at her home in Brewerville.
But Liberian police investigators have ruled out the possibility of intruders invading Cllr. Scott’s Brewerville residence to commit a crime and flee.
Murder is a non-bailable crime under the Liberian law, which means Cllr. Scott and her three accused family members will remain in detention pending the conclusion of their trial.
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Monrovia City Court Magistrate L. Ben Barco ordered the defendants’ detention at South Beach after police turned them over to the court Thursday.
The defendants are accused of using a sharp instrument believed to be a knife to stab Charloe Musu.
Their writ of arrest said they colluded, connived, and conspired to stab the victim multiple times resulting in her untimely death.
The writ further explained that the defendants reported to the police that an unknown man who intruded into their house had allegedly stabbed Charloe.
But police investigation established that the defendants’ account is false and misleading.
The writ said the defendants’ act is criminal, illegal, and unconstitutional, and was done with the intent and purpose to take away the life of another individual.
After the writ was served to Cllr. Scott and the three family members were arrested and taken to the Monrovia City Court to be forwarded to South Beach.
The defense team includes Cllr. Augustine T. Fayiah, Murphy Karneh, Kuku Dorbor, Atty, Facia Harris, and Atty. Adolphus Wave.
Others on the defense team are Cllr Jeral Appleton, Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi, Amara M. Sheriff, Cllr. Peter Y. Kerkulah, and Atty. Dickson Tamba, to be joined by Cllr. Nebaglee Warner and impeached Associate Justice, Kabineh Ja’neh.
The defense had asked the court for a bail bond to be filed to prevent the defendants from going to prison.
But the prosecution resisted the request. The prosecution is represented by Cllr. Sumo Aquio, Cllr. J. Aldophus Karnuah, and Joma Karneh, among others.
The prosecution asked the court to deny the defense’s submission and send the defendants to jail.
The prosecution argued that the crime of murder is a capital offense by law.
The court reserved judgment on the application made by the defense and the resistance made by the prosecution.
The case will resume Friday, 23 June 2023 at noon. The three magistrates at the Monrovia City Court will meet and come up with a ruling on the matter.
