By Comfort M. Johnson
(LINA) – The Special Grand Jury for Montserrado County has finally indicted defendants Gloria Musu-Scott, Gertrude Newton, Alice Johnson, and Rebecca Youdeh Wisner for allegedly committing the crimes of murder, criminal conspiracy and making false reports to law enforcement officials.
The Indictment comes after the Monrovia City Court on Friday June 23, 2023 denied defense lawyers’ motion to admit the three defendants to bail on grounds that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case, and therefore ordered the clerk of court to transfer said case before Criminal Court “A”.
Currently, lawyers representing the defendant Scott and three others have filed a summary proceeding against the Monrovia City Court Judge Ben Barco before the Criminal court “A”.
However, the indictment against the defendants stated that, on the night of February 22, 2023, after the family had eaten and were all in the house, the security guards assigned to the home of co-defendant Scott heard a crying sound coming from inside the house.
As the sound louder, security guards Anthony Musu and Zion Tarr, approached the room window of co-defendant Scott in that process they saw co-defendant Newton slid the bathroom window of co-defendant Scott, and upon seeing them, she started screaming for help saying, “that the people are on us in the house”
At the same time, also seen in the bathroom with co-defendant Newton was Charloe Musu, now deceased, but there were no robbers in the house, because the security stood at said entrance where he burst to allow the three defendants to come out.
After the three co-defendants came outside and being very concerned guard and apprehensive about the alleged armed robber, the security guard Tarr decided to remain at the window with his cutlass, but did not see anyone, but only the deceased lying in a pool of blood.
Defendants Scott and three others have been indicted on three counts, murder, criminal conspiracy and false reports to law enforcement officials, the defendants are currently in jail awaiting court trial.
The indictment further that following the incident, one of the community members in person of Amara s. Tarwuleh who entered the house told the police investigators that when he entered the house through one of the black windows, he saw the deceased lying in the bathroom bleeding, and he helped to put her on the back of his friend.
He then asked co-defendant Scott for her car keys to enable them take the victim to the hospital, she turned over the keys to them, took the victim to the car, and returned to the house to continue searching for the unknown man who allegedly stabbed the deceased but no one was found.
The Indictment alleged that the co-defendants and the three others attempted to cover up the truth about what transpired in the house, the defendants decided to concoct a story that an unknown man entered the house and stabbed the deceased to death, but to the contrary it was the defendant who murdered the deceased after they were involved in an altercation, evidenced by outlook of the room when the investigators appeared on the crime scene.
From the medical autopsy report it was established that the deceased was violently stabbed nine times on her chest, right hand, left armpit, and left thigh and her face was peeled indicating that the injuries were inflicted by a sharp object to be a knife, which is consistent with co-defendant Gertrude Newton’s statement that she was in possession of a knife.
And the peeling of the deceased face associated with the use of a foreign substance believed to be a pepper spray, which is consistent with co-defendant Scott’s testimony of applying it when she encountered the intruder.
The indictment noted that, knowing fully well what they had done was wicked and barbaric, co-defendant Scott, being an experienced lawyer and criminal justice practitioner, decided to lie by creating a story that would shield them from the gruesome act of murder.
It said that the defendants willfully, purposely, internationally, recklessly, and maliciously committed the crime of murder against the peaceful person of the deceased Charloe Musu.