Liberia-The witticism ‘He who laughs last, laughs the best’ is being reminisced in the acquittal of former Chief Justice Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott by the Supreme Court of Liberia Wednesday, after she and three of her relatives had lingered behind bars for months after they were found guilty by a lower court and sentenced to life imprisonment in connection to the death of Ms. Charloe Musu, a relative of Cllr. Scott at her Brewerville home in 2022.
Madam Scott and three of her relatives, who are relishing their freedom, were found guilty by a jury in December 2023 and sentenced to life imprisonment by Criminal Court A in January following the landmark trial viewed at the time to be plastered with political inklings.
Recall that the late Charloe Musu was killed at Musu-Scott home in Brewersville, a suburb of Monrovia, on February 22, 2023, according to police.
The former Chief Justice who defended herself during the trial denied the charges, and insisted the attack was intended to assassinate her, though prosecution claimed she inflicted several bodily injuries on the victim leading to her death.
However, her lawyers took exception to the guilty verdict and appealed to the Supreme Court, while Musu-Scott and her three relatives were behind bars praying for justice to be served as properly as fairly as possible.
After weeks of legal debate and review of evidences adduced, the Supreme Court of Liberia reversed the life sentence previously imposed by Criminal Court ‘A’ on Cllr. Scott and her relatives, and eventually set them free.
Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh, who delivered the ruling said there was insufficient evidence to establish a direct link between Justice Scott and her relatives to the crime, and the Supreme Court was left with no option but to reverse the life sentence handed down by Criminal Court ‘A’ Judge Roosevelt Willie.
The Supreme Court highlighted significant hiatuses in the prosecution’s case, saying the evidence presented at the trial was not sufficient to meet the standard required for a conviction, especially one carrying such a severe penalty as life imprisonment.
Legal experts said the Supreme Court’s ruling reflects a broader principle of the Liberian judicial system: the requirement for irrefutable evidence in securing a conviction, and also underscores the importance of a thorough and unbiased review of all evidence before rendering a verdict, particularly in cases with such serious consequences.
Public reactions to the ruling have been mixed, with some viewing the decision as a just correction of a miscarriage of justice, while others are calling for further investigation to bring clarity to the circumstances surrounding Charloe Musu’s death.
According to legal minds, the case highlights ongoing debates about the judicial process in Liberia and the challenges of ensuring that justice is both served and seen to be served in high-profile cases, and it also reinforces the importance of the Supreme Court as a guardian of legal standards and fairness in the country’s judicial system.
Prior to yesterday’s ruling, the freed Cllr. Scott was given reprieve from jail by the government, in a controversial manner, to visit her home which was reportedly burglarized.
The decision by President Boakai sparked public mixed-reactions with many saying accusing him and the government of siding with her and undermining the legal system or the rule of law.
Madam Scott is an official of the ruling Unity Party, and it can be recalled that President Boakai before his inauguration visited her at the Monrovia Central Prison in Monrovia.
After months of enduring sleepless nights at the Monrovia coupled with assassination of her character, Cllr. Scott, as a freed person, is laughing the best laugh at last, while the real culprits might just be considering their next moves.
This is the second time the Supreme Court of Liberia has overturned and set free convicted murderers, the first to be set free being Hans Williams and his wife, Madea Payku, who were found guilty and sentenced for life in connections to the controversial death of Angel Tokpa in their home.
