By Liberia’s Supreme Court has acquitted former Chief Justice Gloria Maya Musu-Scott and three female relatives of the murder of her niece, overturning a lower court’s conviction that had sent shockwaves through the nation. The 70-year-old Musu-Scott, a prominent figure in Liberian law and politics, had been serving a life sentence for the brutal killing of 29-year-old Charlotte Musu in February 2023.
Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh, delivering the appeal verdict on Wednesday, ruled that there was insufficient evidence linking the former judge and her relatives to the crime. “The state did not meet the burden of proof to warrant the conviction of the defendants. Therefore, the defendants are hereby acquitted of the crimes of murder, criminal conspiracy… as charged in the indictment,” Justice Youh stated.
The case had captivated Liberia, given Musu-Scott’s status as one of the country’s most renowned judges and politicians. A champion of women’s rights, she had served as Liberia’s justice minister and later as chief justice of the Supreme Court until her retirement in 2003. At the time of her conviction, she had just won a significant case against the electoral commission as part of the then-opposition Unity Party’s legal team.
Musu-Scott and her co-defendants were greeted by a jubilant crowd upon their release after serving more than eight months in prison. Addressing supporters shortly after her release, Musu-Scott expressed gratitude for her acquittal but voiced concerns about the state of Liberia’s justice system. “There are a lot of innocent persons in jail in this republic. So I say thank you to the lawyers. But I say to them, there is still work to be done,” she remarked.
The original conviction, handed down by a lower court in December, found Musu-Scott and her relatives guilty of stabbing her niece, as well as conspiracy and making a false report to the police. Throughout the proceedings, the former chief justice maintained her innocence, claiming that Charlotte Musu had been killed by an “assassin” who had entered her home in Monrovia.
State prosecutors had acknowledged that the conviction was based on circumstantial evidence, a point that likely contributed to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the verdict. The top court noted that the evidence presented failed to identify the specific individual responsible for the murder.
The case has reignited discussions about the efficacy and fairness of Liberia’s justice system. Women’s rights groups, while welcoming the acquittal of the wrongly accused, have urged that Charlotte Musu not be forgotten. The Women Non-Governmental Organizations Secretariat Of Liberia (Wongosol) issued a statement saying the acquittal had “reopened wounds and ignited a sense of urgency to seek true justice” for the murdered woman.
Wongosol also highlighted the need for support for the acquitted women as they rebuild their lives. “While we acknowledge that the criminal justice system is designed to protect the innocent, we cannot ignore the fact that a grave injustice has been done. The individuals who were wrongfully accused and detained have endured immense suffering,” the group stated.
The case has broader implications for Liberia’s political landscape, as Musu-Scott remains a member of the Unity Party, whose leader Joseph Boakai became president in January. Her role in challenging the electoral commission’s practices and her subsequent legal ordeal have underscored the complex interplay between law, politics, and justice in the West African nation.
