‘Varlee Telleh person of interest’

By Ethel A. Tweh 

Liberia National Police (LNP) Inspector General Col. Patrick T. Sudue says Varlee Telleh is the individual accused as a person of interest in the brutal attack against former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott.

Col. Sudue told members of the Liberian Senate that Mr. Telleh is expected to appear before the LNP Wednesday, 1 March 2023 for inquiry.

The Liberian Senate invited Col. Sudue and the Acting Justice Minister Cllr. Nyanati Tuan Tuesday, 28 February 2023 to comment on the attacks against Cllr. Scott and her family.

On Wednesday, 22 February 2023, armed criminals attacked Cllr. Scott’s Brewerville residence and gruesomely murdered her daughter Charloe Musu and injured others in the house.

Before armed men brutally murdered Charloe last week, Cllr. Scott said her home had been attacked twice in a row, and she reported those incidents to the police and the Minister of Justice, but the government did not lift a finger to prevent the third attack.

Over the weekend, she lamented about her daughter’s gruesome murder saying she raised the alarm about the deadly attacks and threats against her in vain.

In the wake of the tragedy, Liberia’s former Truth and Reconciliation boss Cllr. Jerome Verdier last week accused Mr. Varlee Telleh, the Deputy City Police Director, of allegedly attacking the former Chief Justice. 

Verdier alleged that Monrovia Mayor and ruing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Secretary General Jefferson T. Koijee ordered the attack.

But Koijee refuted the claim during a press conference held Friday, 24 February, saying he had no history of sharing blood in the country.

Contrary to Cllr. Tuan’s explanation before the Liberian Senate, Col. Sudue contended that there is no proliferation of firearms in the streets of Liberia.

The police chief added that individuals involved with such illegal act would have been arrested by the police had it been established. 

Col. Sudue said that some unscrupulous individuals have brought in single barrel short guns, and the police have arrested them several times.

For his part, Acting Minister Tuan disclosed that there are several individuals bearing arms across the country.

He added that he has not been able to identify those individuals involved with the proliferation of firearms in the streets and various homes to ascertain as to whether those arms are licensed by national government.

The Acting Minister of Justice also told the Senate that the matter is serious and needs the urgent and collective efforts of every stakeholder, including members of the Senate.