In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of Liberia on Wednesday, August 28, acquitted former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott and three members of her family, reversing their life sentences over the murder of Charloe Musu. The court's ruling, delivered by Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh, cited insufficient evidence and reliance on circumstantial proof that failed to meet the legal standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt."
Justice Scott, along with Ma Rebecca Youdeh Wisner, Gertrude Newton, and Alice Johnson, had been found guilty by Criminal Court A in December 2023 for the murder of Charloe Musu, a 29-year-old member of Scott's household, who was fatally stabbed in early June 2023 at Scott's Brewerville residence. Following a five-month trial, Judge Roosevelt Willie sentenced them to life imprisonment. The state had accused the defendants of inflicting fatal injuries on Charloe with a kitchen knife, but the Supreme Court found the evidence presented by the prosecution insufficient and lacking in direct proof.
"The guilty verdict returned by the jury was against the weight of the evidence and is set aside. The final ruling of the trial court confirming the verdict of the jury is hereby reversed," Chief Justice Yuoh ruled. She further stated that the state failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendants conspired to kill the deceased, emphasizing the lack of clear identification of the weapons used and inconsistencies in the evidence.
During the Supreme Court hearings, the justices rigorously questioned the prosecution on key aspects of the case, leading to doubts about the defendants' involvement. "Throughout the trial, the State bears the burden of establishing all elements of the crimes charged by the said standard of proof, and in the instance where reasonable doubt is inferred from the evidence by the prosecution, the defendant in a criminal case is entitled to an acquittal," Yuoh explained.
The Chief Justice also highlighted that the verdict by the lower court's jury could be set aside when it is contrary to the weight of the evidence, particularly noting the state's reliance on circumstantial evidence that did not sufficiently connect the defendants to the crime. The Supreme Court underscored the prosecution's failure to present the murder weapon and the contradictions in DNA evidence found on the victim, which raised serious doubts about the defendants' guilt.
Defense arguments, led by impeached Associate Justice Kabineh Ja'neh, pointed to the absence of eyewitnesses and inconsistencies in forensic evidence, which included questioning the credibility of the government pathologist's findings. Cllr. Bobby Livingstone, representing the government, acknowledged that the case was heavily dependent on circumstantial evidence due to the inability to identify a direct perpetrator.
Immediately upon her acquittal and release from Monrovia Central Prison, Justice Scott called for a broader fight against injustice in Liberia. "I want to thank the lawyers and the civil society organizations for their support. However, there is still a great deal of injustice in this country," she said during a press briefing at her Sinkor residence. "If they could do this to me, what about the young man from Bokonjehlay? What about someone in Sinoe, Karloken, or Lofa? I celebrate today, and my family celebrates, but the work is far from over. Many innocent people remain in jail across this country."
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The courtroom was packed during the Supreme Court session, reflecting high public interest in the case, with attendees including several members of the Legislature, such as Gbe-blo Brown, Boto Kanneh, former lawmakers Cummings Wesseh, and Josephine Francis. Notably, the state was absent during the judgment proceedings, resulting in fines imposed on the Solicitor General and the Ministry of Justice for their non-appearance.
As the case concludes with the acquittal of Justice Scott and her relatives, the Supreme Court's ruling reaffirms the fundamental principle that convictions must be based on compelling evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. With the actual perpetrator of Charloe Musu's murder still at large, this verdict underscores the importance of due process and the judiciary's role in upholding the rule of law in Liberia.
