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Liberia\u2019s former justice minister and chief justice Gloria Maya Musu-Scott has been acquitted of the murder of her niece by the country\u2019s Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
The 70-year-old and three female relatives had been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal killing in February 2023 of 29-year-old Charlotte Musu.<\/p>\n
The case gripped the nation as Ms Musu-Scott had been one of Liberia’s most famous judges and politicians, a champion of women rights and at the time of her conviction had just won a significant case against the electoral commission as part of the then-opposition party\u2019s legal team.<\/p>\n
A jubilant crowd greeted them outside the jail as they were freed after serving more than eight months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Shortly afterwards, Ms Musu-Scott said she and her family rejoiced in their release but she lamented the state of the justice system.<\/p>\n
“There are a lot of innocent persons in jail in this republic. So I say thank you to the lawyers. But I say to them, there is still work to be done.”<\/p>\n
Ms Musu-Scot served as Liberia\u2019s justice minister and later as the chief justice of the Supreme Court until her retirement in 2003.<\/p>\n
She later transitioned to politics and was a lawmaker in Maryland County until 2012. <\/p>\n
She was still a member of the Unity Party – whose leader Joseph Boakai became president in January – and had been part of the legal team that successfully challenged the electoral commission’s refusal to allow parties to see the voters’ roll.<\/p>\n