Police rule out intruder claim 

By Kruah Thompson 

Liberian police investigators have ruled out the possibility of intruders invading former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott’s Brewerville residence to commit a crime and flee.

“The security measures at Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott’s residence were extensive, making it highly unlikely for an unknown person to infiltrate the home, commit a crime, and escape undetected,” said Police Inspector for Crimes, Col. Prince Mulbah.

Through the police and the Ministries of Justice and Information, the government on Wednesday, 21 June 2023 named Cllr. Scott and three family members as prime suspects in Charloe Musu’s murder investigation.

The authorities said Cllr. Scott and Rebecca Youdeh Wilson, Gertrude Newton, and Alice C. Johnson are the suspects, contending that it has been established beyond reasonable doubt that there was no intruder involved.

Police Inspector for Crimes, Col. Prince Mulbah, provided details of the crime scene during the reading of the report. 

He stated that the deceased’s body was found in Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott’s bathroom and was then taken to hospital.

At the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing, Inspector Mulbah mentioned that the Liberia National Police (LNP) initiated a thorough investigation into the incident that occurred at Cllr. Scott’s home on 22 February 2023. 

He stated that throughout their investigation, the Musu family and the victims’ families were treated as suspects from the beginning. 

He noted that other individuals related to the case were considered persons of interest.

Mulbah explained that the police took all necessary measures to identify the perpetrators of the crime and were cautious not to speculate or wrongfully accuse innocent individuals. 

Col. Mulbah argued that it is better to release ten criminals based on the law or for the sake of forgiveness than to wrongfully detain one innocent person.

According to Inspector Mulbah, these individuals were all occupants of the house during the time of the incident.

He further revealed that it has been established beyond reasonable doubt that there was no intruder involved.

The Inspector stated that the LNP has no reason to falsely accuse anyone and that the police possess credible witnesses who will testify in court at the appropriate time.

Meanwhile, Deputy Police Commissioner Anthony Blaye, responsible for crimes investigation and criminal intelligence, did a powerpoint presentation of Cllr. Scott’s residence. 

He highlighted a room as the children’s room, where he claimed two suspects, along with the victim, were seen.

Mr. Blaye’s statement about the two suspects and the victim came in contrast to Col. Mulbah’s explanation that the deceased’s body was found in Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott’s bathroom and was then taken to hospital.

However, Blaye affirmed that Cllr. Scott’s residence was heavily protected. 

According to him, the crime scene investigators thoroughly examined the area and concluded that it was impossible for intruders to gain entry into the house.

Blaye noted further that when the alarm was raised, community members entered through the cracked window of the building to provide aid.

However, he claimed that none of the individuals who came to provide assistance testified seeing an intruder. 

Meanwhile, he revealed that the community members conducted a room-by-room search and found only Cllr. Scott and the deceased, who was still alive at that time.

Cllr. Scott and her family members Rebecca Youdeh Wisner, Gertrude Newton, and Alice Johnson spent Tuesday night in police detention after reports that police had charged them with murder, criminal conspiracy, and providing false reports to law enforcement officers. 

But Criminal Court “C” Judge A. Blamo Dixon ordered them released Wednesday from the police holding cell and entrusted them to Cllr. Augustine Fayiah’s custody.

The police have taken months to investigate Cllr. Scott and her family members about the murder of her 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.

Cllr. Scott lamented that the government did not lift a finger to prevent the third incident in which her daughter Charloe was killed.

Following the incident, U.S.-based Liberian former head of the erstwhile Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Cllr. Jerome Verdier alleged that Monrovia Mayor Jefferson T. Koijee had ordered Monrovia City Police Officer Varlee Telleh to carry out the attack.

Both Koijee and Telleh have denied playing a role in the attacks and the murder of Charloe.