FLASHBACK: Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott leaving the Criminal Court during the early stage of her case
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
The Justice in Chamber at the Supreme Court of Liberia, Associate Jamestta Howard-Wolokolie has pause the well-publicized murder trial in Criminal Court ‘A’, where former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott and three others are facing multiple criminal charges.
Apart from being charged with murder, they are being charged with criminal conspiracy, and misleading law enforcement officer in connection with the death of Charloe Musu on February 22, 2023 at the Brewerville residence of the former Chief Justice.
Justice Wolokolie’s decision follows a petition filed by defense lawyers representing Cllr Gloria Musu-Scott and three of her family members, where they urged the High court to review and reverse the ruling of Criminal Court ‘A’ Judge Roosevelt Z Willie dated August 28, at the early start of the case.
In their motion filed before Judge Willie, defense counsels requested to revisit the crime scene and to reconduct an autopsy on the remains of the late Charloe Musu before Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Willie.
But Judge Willie denied their motion on grounds that the motion was filed prematurely leading the defense to take an exception, thereby petitioning the High Court to review and correct the Judge’s ruling of August 28,2023. Before the Justice in Chamber defense filed a petition for a writ of Certiorari.
A writ of Certiorari is a legal instrument that cites a lower court Judge before his or her superior for wrongfully proceeding in a matter.
Defense in their eight counts petition, used the Civil Procedure Law, Section 16.21.1 which states “certiorari is a special proceeding to review and correct decisions of officials, boards, or agencies acting in a judicial capacity, or to review an intermediate order or interlocutory judgment of a court.
In the writ filed by the defense said on August 31, that a motion to have Judge Willie repeal his decision made on the Bill of Information, denying the defendants’ motion to visit the crime scene, and to conduct an autopsy, something they said would help them adequately represent their clients.
On September 1, 2023 during the court sitting, defense lawyers re-ehoed their petition filed on August 28, noting that the case had just started, and now was convenient that the court grant defendants’ request to assess the crime scene and to conduct an autopsy on the body of the deceased as a matter of justice. But, their request was again denied by Criminal Court ‘A’ Judge, Roosevelt Willie.
Contending the Judge’s ruling defense said such strip the defendants of the opportunity to be adequately represented and defense lawyers the right to proper preparation in the proceeding of the murder trial.
The defendant in this case are: Cllr Gloria Musu Scott, Getrude Newton, Rebecca Youdch, Wisner and Alice Johnson. They are charged with the crime of Murder, Criminal Conspiracy and False Reports to Law Enforcement Officials in violation of section 14. 1, 10.4 and 12.33 of the New Penal code law of Liberia.
However, following their petition to the Supreme Court, the Justice in Chamber cited the Judge of Criminal Court A Roosevelt Willie and the parties in the trial to a conference slated for Friday, September 8, 2023, at noon.
“By directive of Her Honor Jamesetta H. Wolokolie, Associate Justice presiding in Chambers, you are hereby cited to a conference with Her Honor on Friday, September 8, 2023, at the hour of 12:00 noon, in connection with the above captioned case,” the Justice in Chamber mandated.
Currently the defendants are incarcerated at the Monrovia central prison particularly on the crime of murder which is a non bailable offence. Individuals who are proven guilty faced the death penalty or life imprisonment. The former Chief Justice Scott along with three of her family members have spent nearly three months in prison following the denial of a motion to bail them.