-In Diamond Scandal
By Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia, Liberia – The Supreme Court of Liberia,
through Justice Jamestta H. Wolokollie, has lifted the stay order blocking the arrest of former Justice Minister Cllr. Frank Musah Dean Jr. and others in the prominent diamond scandal, paving the way for renewed legal proceedings in the disputed mining license case.
In a formal notice dated October 2, 2025, Supreme Court Clerk Cllr. Sam Mamulu informed legal counsel Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus that the October 16 conference was canceled, as Justice Wolokollie directed Circuit Judge J. Boima Kontoe to retake jurisdiction and expedite the case’s progress.
With all legal barriers removed, the Civil Law Court is now authorized to enforce rulings, including the arrest of Cllr. Dean and others accused regarding the controversial Class “C” mining license granted to Gbarma Mining Agency in Gbarpolu County, revolving around ownership disputes and unauthorized license extensions that have captured national attention.
The Sixth Judicial Circuit Court recently ordered the arrest of former officials it branded a “criminal cartel” involved in the alleged theft and sale of a 53.34-carat diamond valued at $11.5 million. Judge Kontoe mandated incarceration at Monrovia Central Prison unless the accused can clarify the diamond’s whereabouts, a directive previously stayed by the Supreme Court but lifted this Thursday.
Judge Kontoe’s order followed a Supreme Court ruling requiring the gem’s return to its rightful owners. He described the case as involving a “criminal cartel knitted in the art of connivance, secrecy, and collusion,” noting it was “highly unlikely” for the diamond to disappear without senior complicit involvement.
The court’s directive names prominent figures from Liberia’s previous administration and diamond sector: Cllr. Frank Musa Dean, Gesler E. Murray, Mustapha Tounkara, Korvah Baykah, James Biaku, and Emmanuel T.J. Saye—individuals connected with the diamond’s handling and certification.
The judge concluded that the entire process, from seizure to appraisal and sale under the Kimberly Process, lacked transparency and was improperly influenced by the Attorney General’s opinion, with deficient documentation and secrecy permeating the dealings.
The scandal emerged when the government under former President George Weah seized the diamond, claiming state ownership. Licensed miners David Sluward and Abraham Kamara successfully contested the seizure, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court on August 14, 2025, which ordered the government to return the diamond or compensate its full value of $11.5 million.
In a dramatic revelation, the miners’ attorney, former Solicitor General Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus, alleged the diamond was sold during Supreme Court deliberations. “Confessions have surfaced that it was sold for $1.4 million,” Cephus claimed, denouncing it as a grave theft from his clients.
Cephus asserted only $50,000 of the sale proceeds reached government funds, with the remaining $1.35 million unaccounted for, calling the act a direct contempt of judicial authority for selling the diamond while the court was still considering the case.
Court enforcement began Monday with the imprisonment of former Assistant Minister for Mines Emmanuel Ticonti Tutu Swen. A diamond broker, Issiaca B. Conteh (“Kpaku”), was also detained but later released into legal custody.
Cllr. Cephus outlined a pattern of avoidance by other accused figures, stating that Dean and Murray repeatedly failed to appear for scheduled conferences. Judge Kontoe has now issued a final order requiring their attendance, warning of no further notices. Cephus cautioned Dean of serious consequences, expressing firm resolve to recover the diamond or its full value on behalf of his clients.
