Justice Musu Scott Testifies In Charloe Musu’s Death -Says the Defendants Are Innocent of the Murder
By Melvin Jackson
MONROVIA: Former Chief Cllr Gloria Musu Scott, has been testifying in the murder case emanating from the killing of her daughter Charloe Musu at Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice, stating that the Musu’s are innocent of the murder of Charloe. The Liberian jurist, defendant Scott, who took the witness stand since last week was yesterday discharged at the end of her testimony.
Charloe Musu, a senior student of the Starz University was killed at the residence of her mother by ban unknown assassin who visited the home of the former Chief Justice and reportedly attempted on her life; but instead the assassin who could not meet the justice reportedly murdered the Charloe Musu.
Consequently, Justice Scott and three of her family members were accused, charged and indicted, and are currently undergoing trial at the Criminal Court “A”.
Following witnesses paraded on the stand by the Prosecution, Justice Scott finally took the witness stand Thursday, last week to testify in the ongoing murder trial for the gruesome murder of Charloe Musu.
In her testimony in chief, Witness Scott informed the court and the jury that no member of her family had their hands in the death of Charloe Musu. She said Charloe Musu lived with her family for eight years and she was a pillar to the family as she played the role of a male and female before she was demised.
Our judicial correspondent said the former chief justice began her testimony by narrating her polital and legal engagement during which time she cataloged several political cases of legal concerns involving Lofa County Superintendent Garlakpa Kortimai of Lofa County, Senator Gboto of Gbarpolu and Senator Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence of the Liberty Party. She also mentioned her stance against the National Census which she said the government had not taken seriously, and explained a summary detail about each of the cases.
Although she was not direct on how the cases she referred to concerned the murder case, Justice Scott said she was hired to provide legal services for these cases, mentioning that she was hired during 2020 Special Senatorial Elections by then-Lofa County Superintendent Garlakpa Kortimai to defend his legal interest. She said she also defended Gbarpolu County Senator Gboto Kanneh against forces that wqere trying to deny her the seat she won, noting that she likewise defended Senator Nyanble Karnga Lawrence’s faction of the Liberty Party against the Musa Bility faction.
Justice Scott, a former Attorney-General and Justice Minister of Liberia also talked about the special referendum when she began as a member of a group called “Women Can Lead” where they were involved in cautioning Liberians on the holding of the referendum in the country.
The former chief justice maintained that she saw an unknown person eye to eye who invaded her home and she used pepper spray on the person to escape.
Justice Scott further stated that after the late Charloe was stabbed severally, Ma Gratu and the rest of the household through the help of private security escaped through the window leaving Charloe and the criminal in the house.
She added that the indictment including the narrative on the writ of arrest are pure lies, noting, “None of us form the idea or the concept, neither do we have the indignation or the mindset to harm Chaloe, who was so dear to us.”
Pointing out that she was grateful for the platform to explain, Justice Scott further said concerning the 2020 Senatorial Elections, “we were cautioning the public on civil election for the referendum because the Referendum should have concerns on the 2023 election.”
The former Chief justice continued by saying “So we made a statement to the National Election Commission based on the ruling of the Supreme Court of Liberia ordering the National Elections Commission that the civil education they have been conducting was incorrect, and that they should correct it;” saying that she made the statement as a lawyer who had worked with the constitution after which she said the Supreme Court told that the National Elections Commission to do the honorable thing by cutting off the Referendum.
Concerning the 2020 senatorial election, Justice Scott said “After the election, we defended Gboto Kanneh, when Gboto Kanneh was sued and charged with Election irregularities,” informing that court that she defended Senator Gboto Kanneh up to the Supreme Court; and today Gboto Kanneh is a senator.
She also mentioned that she continued her work for some time thereafter she was hired by Senator Nyonblee Kangar Laurence to defend her during one of the hearings which were very tense in April 2020 against the Musa Bility faction of the Liberty,.
Accordingly, the former chief justice said, as per the constitution of Liberia, she answered that it was sad that the census for the holding of the 2023 elections had not been taken seriously and if anyone asked me for my opinion.
“I did not think a country like Liberia would continue to wait for international support and beg to perform constitutional duties, the constitution states that every 10 years, there should be a census, and every six years, there should be a general presidential and legislative elections.” She maintained as though she was providing a legal tutorial.
Coming back to the visitation of the assassin into your residence, she said she saw something like a shadow, so then she held the door closed because the upper part of the door was like a stein glass, we stayed until it was almost 7PM.
According to Justice Scott, “When we came all of us working together in a group, this time, the person had discovered how to come from the top porch down the steps into the living room so they had gone and opened the door from the living room and opened the back door but couldn’t reach us.
“So the people, my contractor, brought the people back to complete their work and they rolled up the steel door and I sent it to the police to come and see what was happening at my house,” she explained.
“The Police came, they did their assessment and they advised me to hire private security, the Police also said that I needed to make my fence higher, so based on the Police’s advice, we hired private security. But to be honest, my instant told me that I still wasn’t safe so I decided to look for Police Officers who had been part of my detail when I was Chief Justice; I was able to locate one of them and he came that Sunday before the incident happened on Wednesday, and we discussed his condition of service and that we would also look for other of his colleagues who have worked together with him before,” Cllr Scott said.
She told the security guard to come in here not to be leaving Charloe and her alone with the criminal, but added that the security guard asked her how he would enter. “And I told him to use the same way Getrude [one of the defendants] used to get out,” saying further that the security guard went inside to them. “He came to me and Charloe does everything for me; she had given me one set of keys already.
“So when he came inside,” Justice Scott furthered, “I handed him the key and it was at that point people came in and helped to lift Charloe from inside at which time she said they went to Faith Clinic.
Justice Scott also disclosed that every checkpoint we reached, she told the Police that her family was being attacked, pointing out that at the Faith Clinic, “I was in such a state, that they put me outside as they were working on Charloe until my neighbor, Pastor Gizzie, came with another lady he said who she introduced worked at Redemption Hospital.
“He brought the woman to me and the woman explained that Charloe needed blood and oxygen; and they went and took her to Redemption Hospital. Pastor Gizzie and the lady that he introduced to me as a nurse took her from the Faith Clinic to the Redemption Hospital; when we got to the Redemption Hospital, the doctor kept going back and forth and I kept screaming and yelling,” she recalled.
Justice Scott, a former Maryland County senator, testified further that they thereafter took her into the hospital and it was at that point that he invited me and give me a chair and informed me that Charloe had passed.”
“She didn’t survive her wounds; from that time we relocated to my 16th Street residence, where I have been displaced since before I was arrested and taken to the Police Station” she narrated, recalling further that it was in June on either the 20th or the 21st, of 2023.
She disclosed how she was detained in a cell with men, there were about three Police ladies with me in the cell and at about 2:am, the person who was at the Charge of quarter ordered the women to leave me and come outside but they refused, saying the women remained with me until day break.
Meanwhile, the defense and prosecution lawyers have rested with the defendant on the stand as the prosecution has prayed in court to bring out rebuttal witnesses to testify in the matter.
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