MONROVIA – At least one person has died and another under critical condition following an armed robbery attack at the home of former Liberian Chief Justice, Gloria Musu Scott.
The incident occurred between 9 to 10PM on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 in the Sheriff Gas Station Community in the township of Virginia, district 17, Montserrado County.
By Obediah Johnson, [email protected],
Edwin Genoway, [email protected]
The deceased identified as Charloe Musu, was a graduating student of the Starz University in Monrovia, and the niece of Counselor Scott, while the other victim was only identified as one “AC”, 17.
FrontPageAfrica gathered that Madam Scott reportedly used pepper spray to escape after one of the robbers attempted to stab her to death. She, however, escaped unharmed and migrated to another residence in Monrovia.
Speaking in an interview with FrontPage Africa following the incident, a next-door neighbor to Counselor Scott, Mr. Alvin Gezzie, disclosed that the victim Charloe was stabbed multiple times in her abdomen, arms, and other parts of her body by the robbers.
According to him, the deceased bled profusely and died in his car while en route to the nearby hospital. “I was in door when I heard people shouting that criminals were in the community. And I thought the criminal was grabbed. But later I got to know that it was an armed robbery attack at the residence of the former Chief Justice for the third time,” he said.
“The daughter of the former Chief Justice was stabbed to death in the bathroom and threw out. They went to Madam Scott and she used pepper spray and fled.”
“The former Chief Justice went on the air (radio station) twice and complained that her home was attacked twice. Since then, there has been no police presence and they had to hire private security. The private security did what they could do, but they were not able to apprehend the robbers.”
Mr. Gezzie regretted the incident that neighbors couldn’t promptly respond to the screaming of Counselor Scott and other occupants of the compound during the armed robbery attack.
“Whenever someone is screaming for help, we come around to rescue the situation. But it was quite unfortunate that neighbors came in lately to help find the perpetrators; but unfortunately, they were not able to get anyone. They all absconded.
‘Disappointed in government’
Sometimes ago, Counselor Scott alarmed that unknown men had made attempts at her residence. She is the Lead Counsel of the Senator Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence’s faction of the opposition Liberty Party, pleading legal cases filed against Senator Lawrence and the others by the party’s Chairman Mr. Musa Hassan Bility.
The two attempts were reportedly made on February 8 and 9 respectively.
Residents of the community and nearby areas expressed disappointment in the government for its failure to provide security for a former high ranking official of the Liberian government.
The citizens observed that despite the valuable services rendered by Madam Scott to the nation and its people while serving as Chief Justice, her security was not guaranteed by the government.
“For the fact that this armed robbery incident happened twice and Madam Scott, who is a senior citizen who has served this country for years went on the air and alarmed over the situation, I think the Justice Minister should have acted by deploying officers. People are saying that she should have written; but it works both ways. She went on the air and said these things are happening and as a prominent person who served this country, steps supposed to be taken to rescue the situation or protect her,” Mr. Gezzie stated.
Volatile security
He described the country’s security as “volatile”, and called on the government to take the necessary actions to protect the lives and properties of its citizens.
Mr. Gezzie said despite the proliferation of zones and depots across the country, the security situation in Liberia remains appalling, adding that, “we have to be our own security.”
“When the woman place was attacked two times and she complained about it, why the police did not come here”, Gbarpolu County Senator Gbotoe Kanneh stated in an angry tone while vacating the crime scene.
Sen. Kanneh, who resides minutes away from Counselor Scott, was among scores of other neighbors and mourners who trooped at the residence of the former Chief Justice when news of the incident broke out.
Senator Kanneh was also prevented from entering the compound on grounds that the police were investigating.
Lusine Sheriff, one of those who went into the compound when Madam Scott and the others were calling for help during the armed robbery attack, noted that community dwellers, including some youths, were greeted by locked doors when they “struggled” to make their way into the house to rescue the victims.
“We heard noise and people yelling that armed robbers were in the compound of Madam Gloria Musu Scott. We came to her rescue and saw that the window bars were broken. But before we could get there, they (robbers) have already escaped. They chopped one of her daughters to death and another person who is currently at the hospital.”
“We climbed in the ceiling and check all around with our manpower, but we couldn’t see anybody. The former Chief Justice was in her room and the other children were in their rooms.”
Sheriff stated that fear has gripped residents of the community and other nearby areas as a result of the latest incident.
He said armed robbery leading to the loss of a life is the first of its kind in the Sheriff Gas Station Community.
He pointed out that though Counselor Scott has complained about the evading of her home by unknown persons, nothing was done by the government to ensure that security was provided.
This, Sheriff added, prompted Counselor Scott to hire private security guards.
“Two private security guards were on duty last night, but unfortunately, they couldn’t do anything.”
He quoted the security guards as saying that the keys of the house of Madam Scott where not in their possession when the robbers carried out the attack.
“We couldn’t wait for the police when they were called upon to come. And so, we entered the compound. The police came around 11PM and the armed robbery took place around 9:30AM. The occupants of the house left last night.”
Sheriff used this medium to call on authorities of the Liberia National Police to step up their night time patrol in various communities across the country, especially Monrovia.
He stated that the late arrival of officers from the Anti-robbery Unit of the LNP during armed robbery attacks must be addressed by the government.
The first incident
On the night of Wednesday, February 8, while she and other family members were asleep, unknown individuals entered the house of Counselor Scott through the roof of the kitchen attempting to enter the living room.
The men were prevented from entering due to the locks placed on the door that leads to the living room.
The suspected robbers previously took possession of the key to the main entrance of the house, opened the shop and made away with a bag of rice from the store room.
Before departing the compound, the suspected robbers took one of the kitchen knives and a bucket of water and apparently dug a hole somewhere in her compound.
During the morning hours of Thursday, February 9, unknown men evaded the residence of Counselor Scott again from the porch upstairs and entered into the main kitchen, living room, and also opened the door between the kitchen and the back of the house.
The suspected robbers exerted efforts to break into the sleeping quarters of the house but failed due to the reinforced installation of additional steel doors.
Her vehicle was searched, the alarm was dismantled and documents were scattered around by the suspected robbers.
Steps taken
Counselor Scott has taken several precautionary measures following the previous separate attempts made on her life.
To prevent the reoccurrence or any eventuality, several pad and cylinder locks and additional reinforced protective steel doors were installed, among others.
Three private security guards were also hired to provide security during the day and night hours respectively.
Despite these steps taken, the latest armed robbery has claimed the life of a relative of the former Maryland County Senator, thereby instilling fear among the locals.
Counselor Scott was appointed as Chief Justice during the administration of former Liberian President Charles Ghankay Taylor from 1997 to 2003.
From 2005 to 2011, she served as Senator of Maryland County in the 52nd National Legislature.
She was also appointed by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to Chair the Constitution Review Committee in 2013.
Counselor Scott also served as a former Professor at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia.
She co-founded the Association of Female Lawyers (AFELL), a group advocating for the protection of the rights of women and girls in Liberia.
The motive behind the continuous armed robbery attacks at Counselor Scott and her family members remain unknown.
However, her unbending quest to provide legal guidance and direction as a Lead Counsel for the Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence of the Liberty Party ahead of the October 2023 elections was an issue of paramount concern among neighbors and mourners who visited her residence following the latest armed robbery incident.
For nearly three years now, the Liberty Party has been embroiled in controversies following the election of businessman turned-politician Musa Hassan Bility, who has been accused of allegedly altering the party’s constitution.
The persistent armed robbery attacks on the home of Counselor Scott would claim her life and the lives of other family members if the government continues to play deaf ears to the need to provide security for her and her immediate family members in the midst of a politically charged terrain and either ongoing or pending high-profile political cases ahead of the elections.
These attacks appear to be intimidation tactics being implored by some perceived political opponents to acquire sensitive legal documents, and discourage or get rid of Counselor Scott.