By: R. Joyclyn Wea
MONROVIA-Ben Barco, Stipendiary Magistrate of the Monrovia City Court has refused to grant former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott’s motion to bill on grounds that he lacks jurisdiction.
Former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott, Gertrude Newton, Rebecca Y. Wisner, and Alice C. Johnson are charged with murder, criminal conspiracy, and false reports to law enforcement officials.
Following her arrest by the court on Thursday, former Chief Justice Scott through her lawyers filed a 13-count motion to admit to bail meaning to have her and three other relatives released while the charges against them are tried.
The motion was heard by Magistrate Barco on Thursday and a determination was made on Friday in which he declined to grant the former Chief Justice’s plea.
Magistrate Barco also burned the former Chief Justice’s motion as premature on grounds that they should have prayed for a preliminary examination to listen to whatever evidence the states may have had upon which they driver at such charges before filing a motion to bail.
According to him, there must be a forum where the state will present the facts to be assessed by the court, this is the opportunity that the defense counsels missed; they should have asked the court for the opportunity for a preliminary examination to afford the court the opportunity to hear the evidence the state is relying on to bring this matter before it.
In the absence of that, Barco says any attend to grant such a plea from Justice Scott’s Counsels would amount to an error on his part.
The verdict by the magistrate frustrated the efforts of the legal team to release her from the South Beach Jail as a state woman. Justice Scott and her three relatives who had spent four nights behind bars at the Monrovia Central Prison are expected to be carried at Criminal Court “A” where a trial into the allegation against them has been forwarded.
At the moment, Justice Scott and their family’s only chances of being released from South Beach are extremely complicated like health complications as in the case of Charles Sirleaf, son of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who was released from South Beach during the famous missing millions saga for poor health.
Alphonso Toweh
Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters
He holds first MA with honors in International Relations and a candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict Resolution from the University of Liberia.