By Bill W. Cooper
With the release of Cllr Gloria Musu Scott and her household, the body of Charloe Musu still lies in the mortuary at the St. Moses Funeral Parlors awaiting government’s instruction for burial.
It can be recalled that during the trial, the body was expected to be released to the family specifically her father who had come from Maryland but he refused on grounds that the child was Cllr. Scott’s and with the trial in limbo, he was not best suited to receive the corpse especially all the autopsies.
This brings many to believe that the case of the late Charloe Musu is said to be far from over as Liberians are debating who the actual murderers might be.
This followed the August 28, 2024, expected ruling of the Supreme Court through a unanimous vote to acquit Cllr. Scott and three of her family members after they were convicted by Criminal Court “A” for the murdering 29-year-old woman.
This decision by the high court has also added speculation to the controversy surrounding the case, coupled with exposing the lapses within the justice system thereby drawing the world’s attention to how classic justice can be derailed due to lack of substantial evidence and procedural flaws.
Among many irregularities that occurred during the trial are the visitation of prosecution after which he was fined and the verdict became ‘guilty; the American pathologist’s report was never admissible to form part of the evidences during the trial, among others
Howbeit, many are predicting that the acquittal of Justice Scott and her family members without identifying the actual killer(s) is likely to continue the cycle of injustice, leaving both victims and wrongly accused vulnerable while the doer(s) goes with impunity.
It can be recalled that the 70-year-old Cllr. Scott, one of Liberia’s high-profile politician and lawyer, along with her relatives, Ma Rebecca Youdeh Wisner, 80, Getrude Newton 36, and Alice Johnson, 20 was sentenced to life in prison by Judge Roosevelt Willie in January of 2024 following the jury’s guilty verdict.
The indictment alleged that deceased Charloe had suffered wounds to her chest, right hand, left thigh, and left armpit after being stabbed with a sharp instrument, believed to be a knife.
What is even more appalling is having sat in that courtroom for a month or more, the jury rendered a verdict when the government lawyers failed on circumstantial evidence, lacked direct support and failed to identify the specific individual responsible for the murder.
Now with the rights, liberties and all other constitutional and statutory rights of Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott, Ma Rebecca Youdeh Wisner, Getrude Newton and Alice Johnson immediately restored, yet the cloud of suspicion and doubt still lingers the biggest question that lingers is will the family peruse their relative’s killers or will the government hunt for proper evidences to bring the matter to a logical conclusion?
While the acquittal may also restore the freedom of those wrongfully convicted, it further casts worries over the unresolved murder of Charloe with many wording as to whether the deceased has finally rested.
One those is WONGOSOL, a prominent advocacy group, that has voiced its discontent with the current state of the country’s justice system, pointing out that the acquittal of the Scott family only deepens the grief of Musu’s family and the community.
The organization further emphasized that the focus must now shift towards finding the actual perpetrator of the crime and ensuring that justice and accountability, thus calling for systemic reforms and improved investigative techniques.
Also in response to the verdict, Liberia’s former Auditor General, John Morlu said, “The death of a little girl in the CDC and UP political arena, an endless battlefield, is a heartbreaking tragedy that highlights the unfortunate reality that in Liberia, politics often triumphs over fairness and justice.”
He added, “While the parents grieve in sorrow, politicians continue to argue and point fingers. Liberia is plagued by a lack of compassion and a twisted sense of justice. May God bring peace to the mourning family? Without true justice, there can be no peace in Liberia.”
Also, one Paul Larmin took to his Facebook page and said, “Gloria Scott most likely did not kill that child, but it is hard to say or argue that there isn’t some degree of complicity on her part. Whether by sheer silence or deliberate attempt to shield the perpetrator, she had a role to play. However, I detest the fact that this issue became a political football and that the sentencing was kinda murky, but there is no way she will ever know peace.”
“Ms. Scott will forever remain imprisoned in her heart and for the rest of her existence! Ms. Scott just left prison but can NEVER be a free woman,” he added.
Another, John Gbakollie wrote, “Justice will never favor the poor and some of us believe that she was going to be let free as long as she is a unity partisan, the poor girl spirit has to revenge on her behalf not Liberia justice system.”
Amidst the mixed reactions from Liberians and the releasing of Justice Scott and her family members, questions may linger but the fact is the case is not closed yet as Charloe Musu murderers must be brought to book so that justice prevails.
