After Supreme Court Orders The Senate Not To Proceed With Confirmation Hearing In His Nomination As Associate Justice
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia– Liberia’s Justice Minister and Attorney General has become subject of two controversial situations in just a week—his 4G nomination by President George Weah as Associate Justice followed by the Supreme Court’s action, prohibiting any confirmation hearing by the Senate, while Criminal Court “A” has today, Thursday, January 4, 2024 slapped him with contempt charge in the Gloria Musu Scott case.
Amidst the controversy surrounding his nomination to replace ailing Justice Joseph Nagbe, Justice Minister, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean has been charged with contempt of court by Criminal Court ‘A’ Presiding Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie.
Following the final argument of the murder case involving former Chief Justice Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott and three other family members on December 21, 2023, Judge Willie announced Thursday, January 4, 2024 as the date for the sentencing hearing and final judgement of the trial and further instructed the probation officer to conduct a pre-sentence investigation on the four defendants and to submit their report on or before January 4, 2024.
Defendants Gloria Musu-Scott, Ma Rebecca Wisner, Alice Johnson and Getrude Newton were on December 21, 2023, found guilty with 11 out of the 12 jurors and one not guilty. Judge Willie’s decision is consistent with Chapter 50, Section 50.5 of the New Penal Law of Liberia. Cllr. Scott with three other family members on February 22, 2023, at their Brewerville residence allegedly murdered Charloe Musu.
They were charged with multiple crimes ranging from Murder, Criminal Conspiracy and Making False Alarm to Law Enforcement Officers.
The Judge informed the court on Thursday, January 4, 2024 that since the twelve-member juury panel handed down a majority guilty verdict against Cllr. Scott and four other family members on December 21, 2023, following his instruction to the probation officer, the court has not received any investigative report from the probation officer as was instructed by him up to today.
However, Judge Willie said the probation officer informed the court through a telephone conversation that since he received the order on December 27, 2023, the Ministry of Justice has not been able to provide fundings for him and his team to conduct an investigation on the four defendants.
The Presiding Judge of Court ‘A’ initiated that the act to disregard his order by the Ministry of Justice is not just disrespectful, but it is also contemptuous. He further ordered the clerk of court to issue a writ of contempt on Justice Minister Cllr. Dean and the Director of Probation to come and show cause why they should not be held in contempt of court.
The contempt hearing is slated for Tuesday, January 5,2024 at the grounds of the Temple of Justice at 10:30 AM.
Based on that, the sentencing hearing and final judgment of the murder trial involving Cllr. Scott and three others has been suspended until Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 9:00 AM.
Recently, Judge Willie announced the sentencing hearing of former Chief Justice Scott with three other family members scheduled for January 4, 2024, based on a notice of assignment to both prosecution and defense lawyers at provided for by law.