Africa-Press – Liberia. The Supreme Court of Liberia has officially lifted a stay order that had halted legal proceedings in the high-profile 53.34-carat diamond scandal, removing a major legal barrier to the arrest and prosecution of former Justice Minister Cllr. Frank Musah Dean Jr. and five others.
“By directive of Her Honor Jamestta H. Wolokollie, Associate Justice presiding in Chambers, you are hereby informed that the conference previously scheduled for Thursday, October 16, 2025, has been cancelled. Furthermore, the Respondent Judge has been instructed to resume jurisdiction over the matter and proceed in accordance with the law,” the notice by Cllr. Sam Mamulu, Clerk of the Supreme Court of Liberia stated.
The ruling, handed down by Justice in Chambers, Her Honor Jamestta H. Wolokollie, clears the way for the Civil Law Court to resume jurisdiction and enforce its arrest order against the accused.
The decision came via a formal communication dated October 2, from the Supreme Court Clerk, Cllr. Sam Mamulu, addressed to Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus, counsel for the petitioner.
It also cancelled a previously scheduled Supreme Court conference on the matter and directed Judge J. Boima Kontoe of the Civil Law Court to proceed in accordance with the law.
Dean’s Attempt to Block Prosecution Fails
The Supreme Court’s decision comes just days after Cllr. Dean filed a petition seeking to block the lower court’s efforts to arrest him and others in connection with the diamond saga.
In his petition, Dean argued that the Civil Law Court had overstepped its authority, violated due process, and acted on “mischaracterized” facts.
He requested the Supreme Court to maintain the stay and prevent what he called an “unlawful and politically motivated” arrest.
However, the Court found no legal grounds to uphold the petition, thereby rejecting Dean’s attempt to delay the proceedings further.
Legal analysts view this ruling as a blow to Dean’s legal strategy, reaffirming the authority of the Civil Law Court to proceed with the matter.
Arrest Orders Reinstated
With the stay order lifted, Judge Kontoe has reactivated standing arrest orders against Cllr. Frank Musah Dean Jr., Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Gersler E. Murray, Former Minister of Mines and Energy, Emmanuel T.T. Swen, Former Assistant Minister for Mines, Mustapha Tonkara, President, Diamond Dealers Association, Ishaka “Shaka” Conneh, alias “Bakut” and Korvah Baysah, Diamond Appraiser.
They are accused of orchestrating an illegal scheme to seize, certify, and sell a 53.34-carat diamond originally discovered in Smith Town, Gbarma District, Gbarpolu County in 2022.
The diamond was discovered by an artisanal miner, Mohammed Kamara, widely known as “Junior.”
According to reports, Kamara was allegedly kidnapped and detained for weeks by Ishaka “Shaka” Conneh, who falsely claimed that the diamond was unearthed within his own mining claim in an area called Wasua.
Kamara was eventually released following the intervention of Montserrado County Senator Saah H. Joseph.
A multi-agency government investigation later concluded that Conneh’s ownership claim was invalid.
The diamond, however, was allegedly appraised, certified, and sold outside Liberia under suspicious circumstances.
The Alleged Criminal Network
According to court filings, the diamond was granted a Kimberley Process certificate, a document used to verify the legal origin of diamonds, by Korvah Baysah, who allegedly concealed the identity of the buyer and withheld key sale details.
Mustapha Tonkara, head of the Diamond Dealers Association, is accused of falsifying export documentation, allegedly under the direction of former officials Dean and Murray.
In a ruling, the Civil Law Court described the group as a “criminal cartel knitted through connivance, secrecy, and collusion,” suggesting a sophisticated and coordinated effort to exploit Liberia’s natural resources for personal gain.
On September 26, Judge Kontoe ruled that all six individuals were in contempt of court for obstructing the enforcement of the Supreme Court’s prior mandate.
He ordered their immediate arrest and detention at the Monrovia Central Prison until they fully account for the whereabouts of the diamond.
“Unless these individuals are made to fully account for the 53.34-carat diamond in question, the execution of the Supreme Court’s mandate is unlikely,” the ruling stated.
The Supreme Court’s recent move has ignited public interest and placed the case squarely in the national spotlight.
With mounting calls for accountability in Liberia’s natural resource sector, the case is viewed as a litmus test for the country’s commitment to justice, transparency, and the rule of law.
Critics argue that for too long, politically connected individuals have escaped prosecution in corruption cases.
The diamond scandal may now signal a shift, especially if arrests and prosecutions proceed without interference.
As of press time, none of the six accused have turned themselves in.
Law enforcement officials have not confirmed whether any arrests have been made.
For More News And Analysis About Liberia Follow Africa-Press
