By Comfort M. Johnson
Liberia’s former Chief Justice Gloria Musu-Scotts and three others have pleaded not guilty in connection to the crimes of murder, criminal conspiracy and false reports to law enforcement officials.
During the reading of the indictment by the Court Bailiff, the four defendants pleaded not guilty thereby joining issues with the State.
The defendants were all handcuffed except an old lady Rebecca Youdeh Wisner, one of the defendants in the case.
The Prosecution Lawyer one week ago issued an assignment through the Court, requesting all Counselors representing former Chief Justice Scott and others to be ready for full trial in said case.
Justice Scott and others were indicted by the Special Grand Jury for Montserrado County on the crime of murder, criminal conspiracy, and false reports to law enforcement officials.
Defendants Gloria Musu-Scott, Gertrude Newton, Alice Johnson and Rebecca Youdeh Wisner allegedly committed the crimes of murder, criminal conspiracy, and false reports to law enforcement officials.
The indictment came out late Friday evening, June 23, 2023, after the Monrovia City Court denied defense lawyers’ motion to admit the accused to to bail, which was denied on grounds that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case, and therefore ordered the Clerk of Court to transfer said case to Criminal Court “A”.
The indictment stated that, on the night of February 22, 2023, around the time stated, after the family had eaten and were all in the house, when the security guards assigned to the home of co-defendant Scott heard a crying sound coming from inside the house.
“As the sound grew louder, security guards Anthony Musu and Zion Tarr, approached the room window of co-defendant Scott and in that process saw co- defendant Newton slid the bathroom window of co-defendant Scott, and upon seeing them, she started screaming for help” saying, “the people on us in the house.”
At the same time, they explained that 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 the entrance where he burst to allow the three defendants to come out.
After the three co-defendants came outside and being very concerned, the guards being apprehensive about the alleged armed robber, then security guard Tarr decided to remain at the window with his cutlass, but did not see anyone, except the deceased lying in a pool of blood.
Defendants Scott and the three others have indicted on three counts, murder, criminal conspiracy and false reports to law enforcement officials and are currently behind bars awaiting court trial.
The indictment further stated that following the incident, one of the community members in person of Amara s. Tarwuleh, who entered the house told police investigators that when he entered the house through one of the back windows, he saw the deceased lying in the bathroom bleeding, and he helped to put her on the back of his friend to go to the nearby hospital.
Upon helping to put the deceased on his friend’s back, who asked co-defendant Scott for her car keys to enable them take the victim to the hospital, she turned over the keys to them, to put the victim to the car, and returned in 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-defendant and the three others attempted to cover up the truth about what transpired in the house, as the defendants decided to concoct a story that an unknown man entered the house and stabbed the deceased, but to the contrary, it was the defendant who murdered the deceased after they were involved in an altercation, evidenced by the outlook of the room when the investigators appeared on the crime scene.
The medical autopsy report 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 Scoot’s statement that was sustained by the deceased leading to her death.
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.
The defendants willfully, purposely, internationally, recklessly, and maliciously committed the crime of murder against the peaceful person of the deceased Charloe Musu, the indictment stated.
Meanwhile the case continues today, September 4, 2023,
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