…Lawyer reacts to Cllr. Scott’s life sentence
By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
The “Life-Sentence Imprisonment” brought down against Cllr Gloria Musu Scott, former chief justice of the supreme court, and her family by the Criminal court A’ Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie, has over the days raised public concern about the credibility of the trial Juries who presided over the murder trial.
Many believed that the juries were compromised and influenced to render the guilty verdict because of the attempted jury interference by Solicitor General Nyanti Tuan.
But Atty. G Alphonso W. Wolwor of Supuwood and Associates Law Firm believes the juries were not influenced and compromised but did their constitutional duties as peer reviewers in the murder trial of Cllr. Scott and family.
“The juries were not compromised.
They did the constitutional duty as peer reviewers on the case.”
Juries on December 21, 2023, brought down a unanimous guilty verdict on former chief justice Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott, along with her family – Alice C. Johnson, Gertrude Newtown, and Rebecca Wisner convicted them of the crimes of Murder, Criminal Conspiracy, and Making false statements to law enforcement officers.
Since the verdict, the perception of the public has been the juries were compromised because of the attempted interference of the solicitor general Nyenti Tuan.
Therefore, they believed that the jury’s verdict was not independent, but a wish-hunt by people they believed to be officials of the outgoing government.
Atty. Woiwor added that the guilty verdict handed down by juries is not about a wish-hunt or trying to malign someone’s character.
But the trial was intended to serve the extent of transparent justice.
Stating that justice had been dispensed without fear not favor, noting that the jurors did the honorable thing to hand down a guilty verdict based on the evidence and circumstances surrounding the death of Charlie.
He noted that if the defense lawyers believed the juries were interfered with, they should have filed a motion to disband the trial Juries.
But rather they called for the solicitor general Nyanti Tuan to be investigated.
In furtherance, Atty. Woiwor noted that co-defendant Scott had confidence in the legal system of Liberia which was why she was adequately represented by her team of lawyers at every stage of the trial, stressing that the former Chief Justice at one time presided over a similar case and handed down a guilty verdict.
In response to the defense motion filed at the Supreme Court, for the review of the jury and Judge Willie’s decision, he stated that the high court only going to review the decision of the judge and make the necessary corrections to where he has erred.
“The court is just going to review the decision of the judge, and where he erred they will correct it.
If he did not rule in the right way the court will revert the ruling.”
At the same time, Atty. G Alphonso W. Wolwor called on the incoming government headed by Ambassador Joseph Nyumah Boakai to create an enabling environment that will allow people to have access to justice by allowing insurance companies or other institutions to grant insurance bonds to defendants.
He asserted that it will ensure that justice is served to those accused of crime, by facilitating bond fees.
