PHOTO: Police IG Patrick Sudue leaving the Criminal Court after taking the witness stand
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICEE, Monrovia – In the ongoing murder trial of former Liberian Chief Justice, Gloria Musu Scott and three other family members, the Defense Lawyers have asked the Criminal Court “A” to declare the Inspector General of the Liberia National Police, Patrick Sudue as a hostile witness.
IG Sudue, who was the defense witness during the court proceedings on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, was declared by the Lawyers as hostile witness out of frustration.
Their decision was based on the Police IG’s failure to provide clarity as to whether there was an investigative report on defendant Scott February 8&9,2023 incident on her home which also led to the February 22,2023 attack that caused the death of her daughter, Charloe Musu.
Charloe Musu, who was about to graduate from the Starz University College, was allegedly murdered at the home of the former Chief Justice in Monrovia’s Brewerville suburb on February 22, 2023, after which an autopsy was conducted by the Liberian Pathologist Dr. Benedict Kolee. The second autopsy was requested in court by Cllr. Scott’s lawyers recently.
Last week, the third witness, Alice Johnson told the Criminal Court “A” that it was an image that stabbed her during the night of the alleged murder Charloe Musu, the daughter of former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott even though the place was dark. Ex-Chief Justice Gloria Scott Trial: Suspicion Raised In Defense 3rd Witness’ Testimony – News Public Trust
IG Sudue’s appearance this week was based on a re-subpoena request by the defense team to have him produce whether or not a complaint filed to them by defendant Scott and dated April 26,2022.
He was to also produce a report that Cllr. Scott made to the LNP through Zone 6 depot one concerning the attack on her home.
In his response, IG Sudue told the court that they did a risk assessment for defendant Scott and she advised her to get a private security at her residence and also electrify the back of her building because the house is situated on approximately one acre which is very huge and the back also dark so based upon that she hired a private security and also hired one of her own relatives by the name of Anthony Musu to also form part of her own personal security at her residence.
The Liberian Police IG further explained that a follow up was made on defendant Scott and indeed she did hire a private security to secure her property so your honor, there was not an investigative report because the alleged crime scene doesn’t suggest to the Liberia National police whether actually there was a crime of burglary as stated by a report at the headquarters of the Liberia National police substation.
“The witness is not responsive,” the defense lawyers complained on their own subpoena witness. My question is as a consequence of the February 8&9,2023, incident at Co-defendant house whether there was a report and if there was a report, please present same to the court.
“I understood your question perfectly. But I said again for the record, there was no report because the alleged crime scene does not suggest to true Liberia National Police that there was a crime of burglary, this is the reason why we in return did a risk assessment for the defendant so as to safeguard her property.“
Investigations are conducted when there is an evidence showing most especially in the case of burglary if there is an evidence depicting forceful entry or breakage that will claim the attention of the Liberia National police then we will immediately investigate. But in this instant case, for example and for the purpose of the jurors, you said a laptop was stolen but when we come to you, you said it had been replaced but in this case, you said, the house was broken into but you repaired it. So it was difficult for the police to conduct a full scale investigation because the crime scene was contaminated or tempered with IG concluded his testimony.