Published: October 3, 2025
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia — The Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Sixth Judicial Civil Law Court to proceed with the long-running “missing diamond” case involving former Justice Minister Cllr. Frank Musa Dean and several ex-officials of the Weah administration over the alleged sale of a 53.34-carat diamond valued at US $11.5 million.
Associate Justice Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie, presiding in Chambers, on Thursday canceled a previously scheduled October 16 conference and instructed the lower court to “resume jurisdiction and proceed in keeping with law.”
“By directive of Her Honor Jamesetta H. Wolokolie, Associate Justice presiding in Chambers, you are hereby informed that the conference slated for Thursday, October 16, 2025, has been cancelled. The respondent judge has been mandated to resume jurisdiction and to proceed in keeping with law,” the Court’s notice read.
The reason for canceling the conference was not disclosed.
Temporary Halt on Arrest Lifted
On October 1, Justice Wolokolie had ordered a temporary stay on the Civil Law Court’s arrest warrant for Cllr. Dean, after his legal team filed a petition for a writ of certiorari asking the high court to review the lower-court ruling.
That earlier stay paused the arrest of Dean but not of the other accused:
Gesler E. Murray – former Mines & Energy Minister
Mustapha Tounkara – president, Diamond Dealers Association
Korvah Baykah
James Biaku
Emmanuel T.J. Saye – officials linked to the diamond’s appraisal and certification
Civil Law Court Assigned Judge J. Boima Kontoe had described the group as a “criminal cartel” and ordered them jailed at Monrovia Central Prison unless they accounted for the gem’s whereabouts.
Dean’s Defense: Acting Under Executive Law
Dean’s petition cited Article 21(i) of the 1986 Constitution and Chapter 22 of the Executive Law, arguing that as Attorney General he was legally obligated to provide opinions to ministries and the president and to lead investigations on the state’s behalf.
Dean maintained he headed a joint investigative panel—including the Ministries of Justice and Mines & Energy, the Armed Forces of Liberia, the Executive Protective Service and the National Security Agency—to determine the diamond’s origin and ownership.
He contends that the stone, found April 21 2023 in Claim 12 F Survey, Gbarma Mining District, Gbarpolu County, was discovered after the claimant’s mining license had expired May 25 2022—thereby reverting ownership to the state.
Government’s 2023 Position on the Diamond
A June 5 2023 letter from Dean to then-Mines & Energy Minister Gesler Murray concluded the diamond belonged to the state.
The Ministry’s January 3 2023 press release asserted the 53.34-carat stone had been fully documented, met all export requirements and was shipped legally under the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) with an international valuator’s oversight.
Key figures from the ministry’s valuation:
Appraised value: US $1,003,880.55
Royalty tax (3 %): US $30,116.42
Fine: US $50,000 for being mined on an expired claim
Total paid to government via LRA: US $80,146.78
The dealer/exporter also shipped 24.1 carats of other stones, bringing the parcel to 78.01 carats
The ministry insisted the export complied fully with the Minerals and Mining Law and KPCS rules.
Origins of the Legal Dispute
The case began under the Weah administration when the government seized the diamond, asserting state ownership. Licensed miners David Sluward and Mohammed (JR) Kamara sued, and the Civil Law Court ruled in their favor, finding the state’s seizure unlawful.
The Weah government appealed to the Supreme Court, which later affirmed the lower-court ruling. Judge Kontoe subsequently issued arrest orders, saying the officials involved—including Dean—had to account for what he described as the “theft and sale” of the gem.
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