Former Chief Justice of Liberia, Gloria Musu Scott, and three of her family members were involved in a high-profile case concerning the death of her niece, Charloe Musu.
The case began when Gloria Musu Scott reported that armed robbers attacked her home on the night Charloe Musu was killed. However, the police investigation led to Scott and three other members of her household being charged with murder, criminal conspiracy, and making false statements to law enforcement officers.
After considering the arguments made by the prosecution and defense and deliberating for a while, the jury returned a majority “guilty verdict,” finding her guilty of all charges brought against her.
The investigation started when Gloria Musu Scott claimed that on the evening of Charloe Musu’s death, armed bandits broke into her home. Scott and three other household members, however, were charged with murder, criminal conspiracy, and making false statements to law enforcement as a result of the police investigation.
The defendants were accused on June 12, 2023, by the Special Grand Jury of Montserrado of Murder, Criminal Conspiracy, and Falsely Alerting the Police.
The accusation charged that the defendant had violated “Chapters 12, section 12.33; Chapter 10, section 10.4; and Title 26, chapter 14, section 14.1 of the new penal law of Liberia.”
The indictment states that at approximately 10:00 PM on February 22, 2023, Cllr. Gloria Musu-Scott, Gertrude Newton, Alice Johnson, and Rebecca Youdeh Wisner “armed themselves with a sharp instrument believed to be a knife and pepper spray with criminal intent.” They killed Charlotte Musu by deliberately inflicting multiple injuries on her, including those to her chest, right hand, left leg, and left armpit. This was done with malice and willfulness.
To the charges against them, nevertheless, they all entered not-guilty pleas.
The defense claimed that the state had not pursued the primary offenders and that the prisoners were falsely charged with a crime they did not commit.
Defense Attorneys claim that no evidence has been introduced by the prosecution that is beyond a reasonable doubt. However, the prosecution pointed out that the facts surrounding the incident and its evidence unequivocally demonstrate that Defendant Scott and the other three are accountable for the later death of Charloe Musu. Several government officials were there for the last argument.
One juror voted not guilty, while the other eleven supported a guilty finding.
“We, the trial jurors in the case, after careful consideration of the evidence, hereby carefully agree that the defendants are hereby judged guilty of the crime of murder, criminal conspiracy, and raising a false alarm to law enforcement officers.”
In the meantime, the defense has declared that it would appeal to the Supreme Court to benefit from the statute.
Liberian-born Emmanuel Orlind Cooper is an accomplished multimedia journalist with extensive experience covering news and stories on a variety of media platforms. Orlind's work frequently demonstrates his profound grasp of the region and its complexity, given his Liberian heritage.
Now residing in Woodbridge, Virginia, he keeps connecting with readers across continents with his perceptive journalism and sharing his viewpoint. He is well-respected in the sector because of his unwavering commitment to honesty and morality, which sets him apart in the field.
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