Judge Willie Denies Defense Request In Charloe Musu's Murder Case

MONROVIA: Criminal court 'A' Judge Roosevelt Willie has denied a request by defense counsel to have mayor Jefferson Koijee appear and testify in the ongoing Charloe Musu's murder trial 

The defense team furring the December 6, hearing, requested the court to subpoena Mayor Jefferson Koijee to testify to two numbers that were placed on the call records, wherein he called a person identified as Mohammed Keita who according to the defense was allegedly in the premises of Cllr Scott’s, the night Charloe was murdered, but is now at large.

The defense said their application to subpoena Koijee and Others is to establish the relationship Koijee has with Keita who is now allegedly nowhere to be found 

However, in his ruling,  Judge Willie said the defense application was not specific. He pointed out that the defense counsel did not show any documentary evidence or witness testimony that Mohammed  Keita with whom Jefferson Koijee communicated, was part of the incident that night. 

"There is no documentary or oral evidence that has been presented to this court. 

According to Willie, in his mind, the defense is on a fishing expedition because the defense has numbers that were testified to by Varlee Telleh and they even have Koijee's number.

He further noted that for the defense to have physical evidence they should  Subpoena the call log from the GSM companies and quash the request to subpoena the living body of Koijee. 

"To have physical evidence is to subpoena those numbers from the GSM companies or the physical evidence that they have. To invite those individuals here without  any physical evidence to show means that individuals are coming to testify against themselves " Judge Willie emphasized upon the request made

But, contrarily to Judge Willie's ruling,  a similar request was made to have Varlee Telleh appear in court which he did appear and testified to a number that was subpoenaed by the court including a controversial number in the subpoena( 0776632470) where he admitted belongs to his wife but is registered in his name.

While on the stand, Varlee Telleh also revealed that he has five different numbers registered in his name: two according to him belong to his children, one for his wife, and two for his use.

It can be recalled that Varlee Telleh was subpoenaed on November 30 by Criminal Court ' A'  through the City Mayor Jefferson Koijee to produce his telephone numbers that were used from February 21 to February 25 and also testify to the court as to whether said telephone was used and who he called within the timeframe.

In resistance to the defense application, state prosecutors emphasized that Mayor Jefferson Koijee was exonerated from all wrongdoings, during the investigation at the Liberia National Police in March, following the death of Charloe Musu. 

The prosecution stated: “The LNP prepared a comprehensive report based on probable cause holding the defendants responsible and presented same before the Monrovia City Court and subsequently to the office of the county Attorney for indictment"

However, like Mayor Jefferson Koijee, Varlee Telleh was also exonerated by the police following his alleged involvement in the murder of Charloe Musu.

Meanwhile, the defense team has rejected the ruling and has filed a writ of certiorari to the highest court.

In the ten counts petition file to the Justice in chamber at the Supreme Court, the defense urged that their petition be granted; thus allowing individuals whom they have subpoenaed to appear in open court to testify as was previously done to the first subpoenaed witnesses.

They further that their call logs and details be presented to establish the facts and accord the defendants, a free and fair trial.

The defendants, in this case, include the former chief justice, Gloria Musu-Scott, and three of her family members identified as, Rebecca Youndeh Wisner, Gertrude Newton, and Alice Johnson, charged with murder of the relative,  Charloe Musu on February 22, 2023.

 By Rachel Saykiamien