By Olando Testimony Zeongar
MONROVIA – Senators on the Liberian Senate’s Defense Security Intelligence and Veteran Affairs Committee have squarely laid at the feet of Police Inspector General Patrick Sudue, the blame of the recent attack on the residence of former Chief Justice Gloria Musu-Scott that led to the death of one and the injury of another.
Following previous attempts by unknown armed assailants, who broke into Cllr. Scott’s Brewerville residence on two occasions, armed men again, late Wednesday night, attacked her home, stabbing to death one of her daughters and critically wounding another, with the former Chief Justice escaping the attackers’ onslaught by the skin of the teeth, according to reports.
Howbeit, on Thursday, two senators, Lofa County Senator Steve Zargo and River Gee’s Cummany Wesseh, representing the Senate’s Committee on Defense Security Intelligence and Veteran Affairs, while jointly addressing a press briefing on Capitol Hill, Monrovia, noted that the Liberia National Police (LNP) inability to have adequately provided security at the home of Justice Scott after she alarmed of previous attacks on her home, led to Wednesday’s fatal incident.
“I think the police dropped the ball,” said Senator Zargo, who added that Inspector General of police, Patrick Sudue should be held accountable for what transpired at the home of Cllr. Scott, who formerly served Liberia in various capacities including Minister of Justice and Attorney General; Chief Justice, Maryland County Senator, Chair of the National Elections Commission, and among others.
According to Zargo, who is the chairman of the Senate’s Committee on Defense Security and Intelligence, his Committee is of the inclination that there is no excuse for why security was not provided former Attorney General Scott, when on February 9th and the 10th, she reported that her life was under threat.
“So, if her life was under threat, we should have had a static intelligence, static surveillance team, not just a patrol team to engage and disengage and still leaving her life in danger,” said Senator Zargo, who is a former senior police officer.
He observed that as a result of the police failure to provide security at the residence of former Chief Justice Scott, a brilliant young lady’s life was snatched away due to the attack on the home of the former Attorney General.
He inferred that had the police taken the requisite action, Wednesday’s fatal incident at the home of Justice Scott would have been prevented.
“This thing would have been prevented have we taken the requisite action; I think the police drop the ball, and the Inspector General should be held accountable for what transpired at the home of the former Justice Minister and Attorney General,” Senator Zargo maintained.
The Senate’s Defense Security and Intelligence Committee, according to Zargo, condemns the attack on former Chief Justice Scott, leading to the death of her daughter and the injury of another daughter of her’s.
“We want to use this opportunity to express our condolences to the Scott family,” said Zargo, who indicated that the Senate’s Committee on Defense Security and Intelligence demands a comprehensive report of all mysterious deaths in particular that have occurred in the country, and the death and attack of the former Chief Justice’s daughter, as well as those of all other prominent citizens of Liberia.
He disclosed that the Defense Security and Intelligence Committee of the Liberian Senate is requesting that in his official position as Chief Security Officer of the Republic of Liberia, President George Manneh Weah, takes appropriate actions, to give confidence to Liberians.
“Too often, when this Senate Committee comes out with findings, we don not have the power to enforce it. There are several findings from this Committee that have never been enforced, and the records to those findings are available,” said Zargo, who noted that his Committee. demands the provision of security personnel to the former Justice Minister Scott, and all permanent Liberians.
For his part, River Gee Senator Wesseh, described the dastardly attack on the home of Justice Scott, as being grievous, indicating that as a government, if a high-profile individual such as former Chief Justice Scott cannot be protected, then such government is unable to give hope to its citizens and members of the public, or anybody for that matter that they can be protected in Liberia.
“We are not saying what we are saying because it is a big-shark, but for us, we are emphasizing that we want protection, security for all of our people of Liberia. It must not be limited to only senior government officials or prominent persons,” he maintained.
Senator Wesseh, who intoned that Wednesday’s deadly onslaught by unknown armed men on the home of Justice Scott is panicking and has, as a result, left many scared and petrified, pointed out that something needs to be done.
“And the thing that we want done is to bring before us, the Minister of Justice, and the Director of police – they should tell us what they have done in the past, and what they’ve done in the catalytic case of Justice Gloria Musu-Scott today that has led to death that we’re talking about that has led to the panic because everyone is scared – petrified by what happened to the [former Chief Justice], especially when she gave notice that there was this threat (on the 9th and on the 10th ) that something was happening and nothing was done about it until death occurred – and then we see what we think is a flippant statement from the police; that is not giving hope to our people,” the tough-talking Senator of River Gee stated.
Meanwhile, the Liberian Senate, on Thursday, resolved to summon both Justice Minister, Cllr. Frank Musah Dean and police IG, Sudue, to on next Tuesday, appear before the Senate’s Plenary, and respond to that august body’s inquest on the country’s prevailing security situations including the recent lethal attack on the home of former Attorney General Scott.
