-Mother laments, as police charge man with crime of statutory rape in Nimba
BY: Shallon S.Gonlor
GBLALAY TOWN, NIMBA CO.— A mother (27) in GblalayTown, Nimba County, is enraged after her 8-year-old daughter was allegedly raped by a 33-year-old man named Harris M. Yeah. The incident took place while the mother was attending a death-related program, leaving her four children at home.
According to the mother, her daughter was attacked by the suspect while she was asleep at home. The mother was informed by her oldest sister’s partner (Harrison Yeah)
that the child was shouting in her room, and upon investigation, she found her daughter bleeding. The child was immediately taken to a clinic for medical attention. “When I rushed her to the clinic, I came back in the room for her clothes but I saw a yellow touch light in the room. I observed that said (The) touch light belongs to Harrison Yeah (suspect)” she stated.
The mother discovered a yellow touch light in the room, which she later learned belonged to the suspect, Harrison Yeah. After reporting the incident to the authorities in Gblalay Town, Yeah confessed to the crime. The police have charged Harrison Yeah with the crime of statutory rape, and the mother is seeking justice for her daughter.
Survivor’s Narrative
For her part, the 8-year-old rape survivor freely narrated to investigators of the Crime Service Division of the Women and Children Protection Section police in Bahn City that during the night of Sunday, she and her mother along with some brothers and sisters were at a program in Gblalay Town.
She further explained “On Sunday, June 16 our mother carried us in the room. While in bed, someone came and covered my mouth with clothes and started doing rude, rude thing to me.” She laminated that after the suspect had abused her, she began to shout in the room, but when her aunty entered the room the person had already left the room. The survivor told the investigator of WACPS/LNP, “When I was bleeding severely, we only identified him as a result of his touch light that was discovered in the room after committing the act against her.”
SUSPECT HARRISON’s narrative
The police CSD/WACPS’ preliminary investigation meanwhile confronted Harrison Yeah,33, admitting to the commission of the act against the 8-year-old survivor. He is quoted as saying during the night hours of Sunday, he visited the victim’s mother at her house to discuss with her but did not meet her.
The alleged rape suspect stated in his voluntary statement to police that stated: “I saw her oldest son home and asked him but he told me that his mother was at a death program site.” According to him, he left and met the victim’s mother at the program and held a discussion with her.
“After she and myself have had a discussion, I told her that I was going to the house, but while en route I met some friends in the liquor shop who offered me liquors,” he said. He averred further that after he had gotten drunk, he went to the victim’s mother’s house, opened her room door, and had sexual intercourse with the 8-year-old girl.
“I forgot about my yellow touch light in the room and ran away. Later I was invited by the township commissioner of GblalayTown to inquire if it was my doing and I admitted to committing the crime.” rape suspect, Harrison Yeah stated. He concluded that, intentionally, he did commit the act based on a native doctor’s advice which ordered him to have sex with a minor child to achieve his herbs objective.
On June 24, 2024, suspect Harrison Yeah,33, was apprehended, informed of his constitutional rights, investigated, and duly charged with statutory rape, an act which violates Chapter 14; Section 14.70 of the revised Penal Code of the Republic of Liberia. A charge-sheet by the Women and Children Protection Section of the Liberia National Police (WACPS) Detachment, Saclepea Police Depot in Nimba County arrested and forwarded to the Sexual Offenses Division Court in Sanniquellie suspect Harrison Yeah for raping an 8-year-old girl based on confession, and evidence gathered against him.
The LNP/WACPS preliminary investigation findings established that the crime of statutory rape committed by the suspect was willingly, wickedly, and intentionally calculated plan.
Meanwhile, suspect Harrison Yeah, a 33-year-old rapist has been remanded to the Sanniquellie Central Prison, pending court trial.
CONCLUSION OF INVESTIGATION:
As a result of the facts gathered and narratives during the investigation, coupled with defendant Harrison Yeah admittance and the confirmed medical report from the Bahn Health Center and witnesses’ corroborated statements, the investigation resolved and charged defendant Harrison Yeah with the crime of statutory rape in violation of Section 14.70 (a)(i) and (b) of the new Penal Law for onward transmission.
