Gloria Maya Musu-Scott, Liberia’s former chief justice and justice minister, has been sentenced to life in jail for brutally murdering her niece.
It marks the downfall of one of Liberia’s most well-known judges and politicians, who took pleasure in her role as a champion of women’s rights.
Musu-Scott, 70, is currently in jail, attempting to reverse the decision on appeal.
A judge sentenced Musu-Scott after a jury convicted her of the murder of Charloe Musu, 29.
Musu-Scott’s trial heard that she, along with three other women, “wilfully, intentionally, purposely, and maliciously inflicted several bodily injuries” on her niece at her house last June.
According to the indictment, Musu was stabbed in the chest, right hand, left thigh, and left armpit with a sharp instrument, most likely a knife.
The former chief judge refuted the charge, stating the 29-year-old was killed by an “assassin” who broke into her home in Monrovia, the capital.
Her arrest surprised many Liberians, and her trial was carefully watched, especially given the timing of the presidential election in December.
Musu-Scott was a key member of President-elect Joseph Boakai’s political party, and he was part of the high-powered legal team that successfully challenged the election commission’s refusal to allow parties to view the voter rolls.
Her family, friends, and supporters wept after Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie condemned her and three other women, ages 80, 36, and 20, according to local media reports.
She served as Liberia’s justice minister before becoming the country’s most senior judge, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, until her retirement in 2003.
She later entered politics, serving as a Maryland County lawmaker until 2012, according to the African Women in Law website.
She was appointed head of the Constitutional Review Committee in 2012, as Liberia attempted to strengthen democracy and good governance after years of authoritarian rule and conflict.
Her lawyer, Augustine Fayiah, told the reporters that he would appeal her verdict and sentence in the following days.
The appeal would outline the judge’s “errors” and demonstrate that jurors did not act independently, he said.
“Their decisions were tempered with by justice ministry officials,” the lawyer alleged.
Following the jury’s verdict last month, a prosecuting lawyer was quoted as saying that there was overwhelming evidence against the accused and that he believed the jury had made the correct decision.
Mr. Boakai is set to be inaugurated as president on January 22nd, following the defeat of George Weah.
