– Says Former Liberia Council of Churches’ President
The Bishop of the Apostolic Pentecostal Church International has advised the Ministry of Justice, Liberia National Police, and authorities at the Central Prison to “avoid treating accused as guilty” even after they have been charged, contending that under Liberian laws, “an accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty and that the burden of proof lies on the accuser”.
Bishop Kortu K. Brown was speaking at a Special Thanksgiving and Worship service on the 4th Sunday of June, 2023, at New Water in the Desert Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Brewerville, Montserrado County, also dubbed “Planting Sunday,” when he commented on the trial of former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott.
“The initial assertions about what happened at the former Chief Justice’s house didn’t give a lot of Liberians the impression that the former Chief Justice who complained about the murder in her house will be charged for the crime”, the Pentecostal cleric said, adding, “now that the Liberia National Police (LNP) has charged the complainant for being a suspect or responsible for the murder of their daughter, we ask for the upholding of the rule of law and the dispense of justice.”
“Under Liberian law, an accused person is considered innocent until proven guilty”, the former president of the Liberia Council of Churches reiterated.
“We must therefore not treat an accused person as if they are already guilty as charged even before the case is heard. The accused are entitled to their innocence until they are proven guilty by the State beyond any reasonable doubt.
The State must guarantee their rights”, he added.
Bishop Brown spoke about the loss of a young woman’s life just as she was about to finish college and stressed the need for the country to know who murdered the late Charloe Musu. “God knows who killed Charloe, and no matter what, He will not allow the murderer to go free”, he asserted.
The well-known advocate for peace and security in the country also mentioned that “as the litigation unfolds, we appeal to all Liberians to exercise restraints and allow the rule of law to take its place. We must keep the peace. We must abide by the rule of law. We must give the courts the chance to hear from them what the results of this case will be based on the evidence. We should not rush to pass judgment on anything.”
Bishop Brown also appealed to the late Charloe Musu family and the families of the accused to exercise restraint as they go through, no doubt, a very difficult moment in their lives.
