Liberia: ‘Charloe Musu Died from Excessive Bleeding’
“We are however inclined to believe that had the premises of any current government official or a former official with some level of interest been attacked, the government would have taken action to avert what happened to us,” the family said.
— Gov’t hired pathologist discloses in initial report
One of the pathologists hired by the Liberian government to conduct tests on the remains of Charloe Musu, the niece of former Chief Justice, Gloria Musu Scott, has revealed that the girl died as a result of excessive bleeding.
Pathologist Benedict Kolee told a team of journalists in an interview on March 21, that Musu, who reportedly died from multiple stabbing wounds, following an attack on the home of the former Chief Justice in Brewerville, lost her life due to excessive bleeding from wounds allegedly inflicted upon her.
Kolee spoke following the conduct of an autopsy on the remains of Charloe. The exercise was held in the presence of about 20 persons, including two family members, human rights groups, and civil society organizations, among others. Kolee said he was releasing what he called “a provisional cause of death for Charloe Musu," but a final determination would be made after a scientific examination of the body is done. He disclosed that the final results will be ready in two weeks.
According to him, the late Musu died as a result of excessive blood loss from a ruptured left or right artery that caused massive hemorrhage, which went on to suppress her left lung from functioning properly.
“She lost so much blood on the inside and outside after a piercing below her left rib, which cut one of the arteries that made blood flow in the chest, leading to the collapse of her left lung,” pathologist Kulee told journalists.
Commenting on the process, Kolee stated the exercise was very laborious and was witnessed by about 20 persons, including two family members of the deceased, human rights organizations, law enforcement officers, and members of civil society, among others.
When quizzed about the reliability of the autopsy conducted by him and the other pathologist, he said their work would speak for them. “For reliability, our work will speak for us. What we did was scientific, as our work will speak for us,” Kolee told journalists.
The home of former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott was attacked on three separate occasions by unknown assailants for reasons that have never been established by the Liberia National Police (LNP) and other law enforcement agencies.
On the first and second attacks, Justice Scott was alarmed and reported to the LNP and the Ministry of Justice that her home had been attacked on two separate occasions.
The police later admitted to the former Chief Justice’s assertion following public pressure, and they had instituted an investigation before the third attack took place that reportedly led to the murder of her niece, Charloe Musu.
Following the third and most brutal attack, former chairman of the erstwhile Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Cllr. Jerome Verdier, made startling allegations that the third attack on Scott's home was carried out by one Varlee Telleh, who according to Verdier served as operations officer at the Monrovia City Police detail, under the direct mastermind of Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee.
Following Verdier's revelation, the LNP invited Mayor Koijee and MCC police patrolman Varlee Telleh for questioning to determine their alleged involvement as was claimed by the former TRC chairman. I
n the end, Cllr. Arthur Johnson, lead counsel for Koijee and patrolman Telleh, told the media that their clients were only questioned about their whereabouts during the incident that occurred at the former Chief Justice's home, to which they responded properly, and that at the end the police did not find any probable cause to press charges.
ClJohnson later threatened that on behalf of his clients, he would institute a lawsuit against Verdier in the United States in order to compel him to bring forth evidence and prove his allegations against his clients.