Liberia: U.S. Sanctioned Koijee to Testify in Charloe Musu’s Murder Trial

In a significant turn of events, Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee, recently sanctioned by the United States government, will now be permitted to testify as a special witness for the defense in the ongoing trial of Charloe Musu’s murder.

This reversal comes after the Presiding Chambers Justice of the Supreme Court overturned a ruling by Judge Roosevelt Willie of Criminal Court ‘A’, which initially protected Koijee from testifying. In the recent reversal, Justice Jamesetta Wolokollie emphasized the defendant’s right to present evidence that could potentially exonerate them.

This ruling stemmed from the defense’s request to subpoena Koijee, Mohammed Keita (known to be a strong ally to him), as well as the two GSM companies, Orange and Lonestar, in order to provide telephone call exchanges involving Koijee, Keita, Varlee Telleh (a special bodyguard of the city mayor), Moses Wright (officer of the Genesis Security Guard Services assigned to the home of former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott), and Telleh’s wife.

Koijee is scheduled to testify on Wednesday, December 13, in a trial that has spanned several months and is now approaching its final stages of testimony. Following Koijee’s inclusion, Keita, Orange, Lonestar, and Telleh’s wife have also been ordered to testify as special witnesses in the murder case.

In earlier decisions, Judge Willie denied the defense lawyers’ requests to subpoena Mayor Koijee and the others, citing a lack of specificity, evidence, or disclosure of their motives. Additionally, he rejected similar applications for the GSM companies to produce call logs for Koijee and the other subpoenaed individuals.

According to the defense’s denied application, Koijee is expected to testify regarding his ownership of two separate mobile numbers, as well as a number believed to be owned by Mohammed Keita.

Similarly, Moses Wright is anticipated to testify about the calls made from his number during the period of the incident, between February 20 and February 24, 2023. These numbers, as argued by the defense, were allegedly utilized by the owners to communicate with Moses Wright, who was responsible for the security of Cllr. Scott's residence on the eve of February 21, 2023, the day Charloe Musu was purportedly murdered.

While initially denied, this recent reversal grants the defense an opportunity to present valuable testimony and evidence by compelling these individuals and the GSM companies to participate in the trial.