Monrovia — The Supreme Court of Liberia has stayed the arrest and detention order issued against former Justice Minister Cllr. Frank Musa Dean, Jr. in the high-profile case surrounding a controversial 53.34-carat diamond.
The Court's decision followed a writ of prohibition filed by Cllr. Dean after Circuit Judge J. Boima Kontoe, on September 26, 2025, ordered him, former Mines and Energy Minister Gesler Murray, former Assistant Minister of Mines Emmanuel T.T. Swen, Diamond Dealers Association President Mustapha Tounkara, Ishaka Conneh (alias "Bakut"), and appraiser Korvah Baysah jailed at the Monrovia Central Prison.
Judge Kontoe accused the six of colluding to deprive legitimate claimants of ownership of the diamond, ruling that they must account for the gem's chain of custody, sale, buyer, and proceeds before the Supreme Court's earlier mandate could be fully executed.
But in a communication signed by Clerk of Court Sam Mamulu, under the directive of Associate Justice Jamesetta H. Wolokollie, the Supreme Court ordered all proceedings halted pending a conference set for October 16, 2025.
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"By directive of Her Honor Jamesetta H. Wolokollie, Associate Justice presiding in Chambers, you are hereby cited to a conference ... Meanwhile, you are ordered to stay all further proceedings and/or actions in the matter pending the outcome of the conference," the order stated.
Diamond Dispute
The dispute centers on the ownership of the diamond, discovered in Gbarpolu County, which the Supreme Court earlier ruled belonged to miners T. David Sluward and Mohammed "JR" Kamara, citing a valid renewal of their Class "C" license. That ruling contradicted the Justice Ministry's earlier opinion under Dean, which declared the diamond as government property.
Though a Ministry of Justice investigative panel initially sided with the miners, Dean later cited constitutional provisions vesting mineral ownership in the state, arguing that the miners' license had expired in May 2022--months before the diamond was found in April 2023.
Expired License Voids Claim
An official analysis of the status of Claim 12 F/Survey (License #3095/17) revealed that the licensee lost all legal rights to claim a recently discovered diamond due to an expired license.
According to records, the application for Claim 12 F/Survey was first entered into the Mining Cadastre Administration System (MCAS) on March 20, 2017, with the license payment completed on May 25, 2017. This payment established May 25, 2017, as the official anniversary date for subsequent renewals.
The license was valid from May 25, 2017, to May 25, 2018, with subsequent terms to be maintained through annual payments. However, documentation shows that the license expired on May 25, 2022.
Despite this, the record shows that the licensee made a late payment on April 28, 2023--just seven days after the diamond was found--attempting to assert ownership rights. The Ministry concluded that this payment could not cover the period in which the diamond was discovered, as arrears from May 25, 2021, to May 25, 2022, remained unsettled, in addition to the period from May 25, 2022, to May 25, 2023.
"In light of this analysis, Claim 12 F/Survey lost all legal status to claim the diamond," the report stated.
This paved the way for the government to seize the diamond, certify it under the Kimberley Process, and reportedly facilitate its sale abroad.
Government's Position
The Ministry of Mines and Energy later clarified that the diamond was documented, appraised at US$1,003,880.55, and legally exported in line with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. The Exporter/Dealer paid US$80,146.78 to government revenue, including a US$30,116.42 royalty and a US$50,000 fine for buying from an expired mining claim.
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The Ministry added that a Joint Security Board--comprising the Ministry of Justice, the Armed Forces of Liberia, NSA, EPS, and Mines and Energy--had investigated and confirmed the diamond's discovery site.
Legal Questions
Despite the Mines and Energy Ministry's account, Judge Kontoe still held Dean liable, a move now questioned by legal analysts. Some argue the Justice Minister's role was limited to offering legal opinions, not handling diamond transactions. Others contend that the enforcement of judgment should fall on Mines and Energy authorities and the Diamond Dealers Association, not Dean.
What's Next
With the Supreme Court's stay order in place, all eyes now turn to the October 16 conference before Justice Wolokollie. The outcome could reshape not only the fate of Dean and his co-accused but also Liberia's handling of its mineral resources, as the diamond saga continues to shake both the judiciary and the political establishment.
