MONROVIA: Monrovia City Mayor and Secretary General of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Jefferson Tamba Koijee, has categorically rejected claims of his involvement in the series of attacks against the Brewerville residence of former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, Cllr. Gloria Musu-Scott, leading to the gruesome killing of her daughter, Charloe Musu, and the severe injuries of other family members.
Koijee issued the clear-cut denial over the weekend in Monrovia in response to allegations made against him by Washington DC-based Liberian international human rights campaigner, Cllr. Jerome J. Verdier, who is also former Chairman of the erstwhile Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), that he (Koijee), is the mastermind of the series of attacks against Cllr. Scott’s Brewerville residence in recent times.
Cllr. Verdier who is currently the Executive Director of the International Justice Group (IJG) told a Spoon TV phone-In- Talk show, held on February 23, 2023, alleged that the series of attacks on Justice Scott’s home were masterminded by Mayor Jefferson Tamba Koijee and that the alleged killer of Cllr. Scott’s daughter is a former officer of the erstwhile Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATU) who currently works in Mr. Koijee’s office. He also claimed that the alleged killer has been escorted by Mayor Koijee out of the country via Nimba County aimed at escaping justice.
However, addressing a news conference held at the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) on Friday, February 24, 2023, Mayor Koijee narrated that since his birth, he has not, and will never kill even a fly, least to mention the killing of his fellow human being.
The Monrovia City Mayor also dismissed Verdier’s assertions that he initiated, and continues to initiate secret plans leading to the gruesome death of other Liberians.
Mayor Koijee expressed sorrow over the attacks which led to the killing of the former Chief Justice’s daughter, C. Musu, a graduating senior of Starz University College in Airfield, Sinkor near Monrovia.
Mr. Koijee also called on the Liberia National Police (LNP), to thoroughly investigate the matter and make public its findings.
The City Mayor wonders as to why Cllr. Jerome J. Verdier, who, according to him, is old enough to be his (Koijee’s ) father, continues to link him to commission of evil acts in Liberia without providing any documentary and, or cogent evidence to substantiate such claims being made against him (Koijee), by Cllr. Verdier.
The Lord Mayor also expressed disappointment over the attacks against Cllr. Scott’s residence in recent times.
At the Friday news conference, Koijee recalled that Cllr. Jerome J. Verdier once accused him of involvement in the commission of gross human rights violations during Liberia’s armed conflict that spanned a decade but, according to Koijee, Verdier’s allegations were dismissed by other former Commissioners of the erstwhile TRC.
He named the ex-commissioners of the defunct TRC who refuted Verdier’s allegations levied against him (Koijee) as Massa Washington, John Stewart, Rev. Gerald Coleman and Cllr. Pearl Brown Bull.
He added that the above named Commissioners exonerated him from Verdier’s claims that he Koijee was never a part of Liberia’s civil war and never committed gross human rights violations, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other egregious crimes.
Major Koijee described the former TRC Chairman’s accusation that he masterminded the attacks against the former Chief Justice residence and the killing of her daughter as fallacious.
Koijee called on the government of the United States of America where, according him, Cllr. Jerome J. Verdier is residing not to allow him or anyone to use the American soil to cause war and instability in Liberia.
Recently, the Liberia National Police (LNP) disclosed that it has begun investigation relative to the incident that occurred at the residence of former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, Cllr. Gloria Musu-Scott, Wednesday night on February 22, 2023, leading to the killing of her Daughter.
The Director of Press and Public Affairs of the LNP, H. Moses Carter, Sr., said Madam Scott, who is now under appropriate police protection, reported some days ago in a radio interview that her family had experienced several attempts from suspected burglars to enter her home at night.
According to Mr. Carter, this report led to an increase in police patrol in the area. He made the Statement Thursday, February 23, 2023, at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT), regular press conference on Capitol Hill, in Monrovia.
According to the Police Spokesman, preliminary findings from the Wednesday night incident which occurred about 9:30pm, as narrated by Madam Scott, revealed that a man who was part of a crew she hired to carry out some construction work at her residence remained hidden inside at the end of the work day, while his colleagues had retired for the day.
According to Carter, the man, who former Chief Justice Scott said she had observed during the day of looking somewhat “strange,” attacked her family at night and killed one of her daughters when he was tackled.
He emphasized that Preliminary investigation shows no evidence of a break-in.
Carter noted that the Police are currently in search of the suspected robbers and urged the public to come forth with any information that will aid its investigation.
On February 9, Justice Scott raised alarm that her Brewervill residence was invaded twice in a period of one week by some unidentified persons.
The situation, the former Chief Justice said, has effectively injected high sense of fear and insecurity in her and other family members.
The former Chief Justice said the first attack by the unknown persons against her residence in Brewerville, outside Monrovia, occurred on Wednesday, February 8, 2023.
She added that the following Thursday, February 9, 2023, the attackers again, stormed her residence.
Narrating her ordeal to this paper on Tuesday , February 14, 2023, the former Chief Justice disclosed that besides the terrifying moves made by the unnamed invaders, she believes that those involved are well trained and appear knowledgeable to accomplish their mission.
“Apart from the chilling scenes created inside the house, the unknown men disabled the alarm system on my vehicle, opened it, lifted all the seats, and left files and documents in the car scattered after apparently reading through them, in an effort to find whatever they were searching for,” Justice Scott indicated.
Besides serving as Liberia’s Chief Justice during the administration of former President Charles Taylor from 1997 to 2003, Justice Scott held several other high-profiled positions in government.
She once served as Senator of Maryland County, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Republic of Liberia, Chairperson, Constitution Review Commission, among others.
Currently, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is the lead lawyer of the opposition Liberty Party (LP), of which Grand Bassa County Senator, Nynoblee Karnga-Lawrence, serves as political leader.
Detailing her ordeal recently Justice Scott disclosed that she is of the strongest conviction that the unknown individuals who perpetrated said attack on her home are “hardened criminals.”
According to her, the format applied by the “invaders” to gain unlawful access to her residence, depicts a mission intended to target her precious life.
Justice Scott said that on the night of Wednesday, February 8, 2023, while she and other family members were asleep, the unknown persons broke into her residence, through the roof of the house and gained undue access to the kitchen.
She added that the unknown but “hardened criminals” entered the kitchen but they could not breach the steel door, separating the living-room from the dinning-room to gain total access to the house.
According to her, upon their failure to break the steel door, they took a bunch of keys including her shop-key and made away with a single 25kilogram bag of rice from her provision shop.
Justice Scott disclosed further that as a precautionary measure against the Wednesday, February 8, 2023 incident, on the morning of Thursday, February 9, 2023, she purchased several cylinders and pad locks and began installation of additional steel door to ensure the invaders do not gain access whenever they attempt to do so.
But, the female barrister who is also a Professor of Law at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, who was visibly frightened indicated that, to her utmost surprise, the unidentified invaders finally made a successful entrance to her living room through the top porch from the upstairs of her residence on the night of Thursday, February 9, 2023.
She has expressed fear for her life owing to the manner in which the invasion of her residence occurred.
Justice Scott said her fear has been reinforced by the numerous unsolved but high-profiled murders in the country in recent years.
She vowed to submit a formal complaint to the Government of Liberia (GoL) through the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) as a way of bringing the government’s attention to the scary matter.
The attack against the former Chief Justice’s residence comes on the heels of several high-profiled and mysterious murders that occurred in the country in recent years.
They include, but not limited to, the mysterious killing of John Hilary Tubman, 76, son of former Liberian President, William V. S. Tubman (late), at his Fiamah residence on September 22, 2021, and the killing of Rev. William R. Tolbert, III, 68, Liberia’s Peace Ambassador, at his Bushrod Island residence on November 1, 2021.
According to the learned female Liberian lawyer, she fears over the successive invasions of her residence.
“My fear is particularly heightened by these high-profiled murders and many other mysterious incidents that occurred in Monrovia and other parts of Liberia, many of which are yet to be properly investigated or given any serious attention,” Justice Scott declared.
In a related development, the Standard Bearer of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) has condemned the violent attack against former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott, which resulted in the death of her daughter and another being critically injured.
According to CPP release, the attack, which occurred on Wednesday, February 22, at the former Chief Justice’s Brewerville residence, was the third in a wave of attacks reported by her, without any security intervention or inquiry.
The release issued by CPP Leader, Alexander Benedict Cummings, said, it views these violent attacks as targeted, if not orchestrated, to intimidate and frighten the Liberian people, especially members of the opposition community.
“With this violent attack on the former Chief Justice, as well as other unsolved mysterious deaths and murders, our confidence in the ability of the government to investigate, protect and or stop these violent attacks on peaceful citizens, especially those viewed by the government to be opposed to their misrule of the country, continues to be lowered,” the release said.
Through its Political Leader, the CPP reminded the government of President George Weah of its basic duty and responsibility to protect all citizens, especially in the exercise of their fundamental rights, noting that the CPP has “repeatedly urged the Weah administration to meet this basic duty of security for the Liberian people with increased diligence and seriousness.”
However, according to the CPP, Liberians continue to be frightened by an increase in crime, lawlessness, and violence against peaceful citizens, residents, and their families.
He said the continuous acts of lawlessness, violence, and wanton killings are unacceptable threats to Liberia’s peace, security, and democracy, for which, in the near future, there will be consequences in keeping with law.
“There will be consequences for these actions and / or inactions,” the CPP Leader warned; adding: “No one will be permitted to undermine Liberia’s, peace, security, and democracy with impunity.
Meanwhile, the CPP has extended sympathy to the former Chief Justice, Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott, for the brutal murder of her daughter and critically injury to others, on the night of February 22, 2023.
The former Chief Justice during the Charles Taylor`s regime, currently serves as Legal Counsel to the Unity Party of former Vice President, Joseph Boakai, and was seen as lead lawyer representing Senator Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence in the Liberty Party case with Mr. Musa Hassan Bility and the National Elections Commission (NEC).
While they were in bed in the middle of the morning, the attacker move into the room of the Counselor when her (Cllr. Scott) daughter, Niece and Cousin stood in the way, something which led them being stabbed multiple times.
The victims include: one Dead, Charloe Musu, niece, age 28, and a graduating senior of the Starz University, and two injure persons namely: Alice Johnson, also a niece, age 18, and a 12th grader at the Life International School, in Logan Town. She is critically wounded and in hospital currently and Gertrude Newton, in early 50s, cousin to the Justice Scott slightly got wounded.
Many Liberians particularly from the opposition community are of the belief that the attack was a plot for the former chief justice`s life but the little girls including aunty were unfortunately cut in the middle.
In the same vein, the National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL) has deplored the gruesome murder of one of the daughters of former Chief Justice and former Senator of Maryland County, Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott in an armed rubbery attack.
Justice Scott’s daughter was stabbed to death by the armed gangs on the night of Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at about 10pm at their home in Brewerville outside Monrovia. Other siblings of the deceased were also tortured.
NCSCL, which is the apex body of all civil society organizations in the country, in a statement, called on the Liberia National Police (LNP) to ensure the expeditious arrest and prosecution of all persons linked to the callous murder and brutalization of the children of the former Chief Justice.
The CSO Council condemned as “barbaric” the attack at the home of the former Chief Justice, stressing that the action of the attackers was premeditated and masterminded by some nefarious elements of darkness with the purpose of achieving a deadly end.
“The CSO Council calls on the Inspector-General of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Col. Patrick Sudue, not to allow this case to linger on by the employment of foot-dragging tactics and strategies, but ensure that the perpetrators and their accomplices are apprehended and brought to book.
“In this civilized world, there should be no room to harbor criminals and deadly masquerades hiding under the cover of darkness to inflict harm and deprive peaceful people of their right to life, liberties and freedoms,” said the statement, signed by the Council’s Chairperson, Madam Loretta Alethea Pope-Kai.
“This kind of skewed and uncouth maneuvering only has the proclivity to disintegrate society into the world of the wild, where might makes right and where the rich and the strong can manipulate their will against the poor and the weak, especially when left unchecked. We stand against travesty and we deplore acts of barbarism!” added the council.
