– Minor Accuses Police Spokesman’s Girlfriend for Using False Penis on Her
By: Jerromie S. Walters
The family of Satta (not her real name), a 15-year-old child from Nimba County, is calling on the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection to intervene in an alleged child molestation and abuse case involving a lady called Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah, a lady believed to be to a girlfriend to Police Spokesman Moses Carter. Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah is accused of using false or electronic penis on a minor on several occasions.
After being allegedly used by Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah’s sex machine for almost a month, Satta was arrested and imprisoned for over 24 hours at a local police station in Saclepea, Nimba County, under the command of Mr. Moses Carter over an allegation of thievery.
In an interview with this paper, the survivor articulated that she lived with her parents in Nimba, but in 2022, she moved to GSA Road in Paynesville, and it was at that time that she got in contact with Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah while she was residing with a relative.
According to her, even though she resided with her aunt in the community, she often aided Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah with house chores, and following a good period of said relationship, she was engaged by Ms. Zoah in 2023 to stay with her because she needed a child to help her with housework at her home.
“When I used to work for her, she said that since you can work for me and I am looking for a child, I will like for you to be with me. She said she was going to send me to school, but I told her I couldn’t just be with you without informing my parents about it, so it will be better if I go back to where I’m coming from, then you and my parents will talk, and in case of anything, my parents will bring me here,” she said.
Following said interaction, Satta said she returned to Nimba and informed her parents, who spoke with Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah via phone, that she needed Satta to take care of her child, as she would have sent her to school, and properly take care of her.
As the discussion unfolded, Satta narrated that her mother agreed, and she was transported from Saclepea to Monrovia on February 14, 2023, on a NTA bus.
“Because I was to come on February 14, her husband Moses Carter called the police commander in Saclepea because he said it’s human being business, so he told the commander to transport me to Ganta, and the commander gave me 400 LD.” So, because the 400 LD was not enough, I called his wife Ruthlyn, and she told me to carry the phone to the NTA driver, so she talked with the man for him to bring me, and she will pay when I reach, so when I reached, she sent the money to the man in his phone, and she told me to go to her shop on Duport Road.
Upon her arrival at their GSA Road residence on February 14, 2023, Satta said she was asked by Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah whether she was into life, and she said yes. On February 15, 2023, she insisted that she wanted to check with Satta to authenticate what she said.
The genesis of the alleged sexual abuse (Rape)
In the process of what Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah termed “checking,” Satta alleged that she was used as her sex machine on countless occasions, both with her fingers and an electronic vibrator, as she reportedly threatened to throw a traditional sickness on her if she had told anyone.
“On Wednesday, February 15, 2023, when she came home, she said the thing I told her she was thinking about because I’m too small to be in men’s business, so she said she wanted to check me, and that’s how she asked me to lay down on the bed and take off my clothes; I did it, and she placed her two fingers in my vagina; she started fingering me, all in my stomach; she started putting her fingers in and putting them out, so when she finished, she told me to go sleep”, Satta explained.
As narrated by Satta, on early Thursday, February 16, 2023, she was again abused by Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah, after she allegedly used a pink electronic penis (a vibrato) on her for over 15 minutes at their GSA Road residence.
“On Thursday, she was bathing so she asked me to help her to wash her back and I did, I went back in the Living-room to sit so she came from in the bathroom she was naked on her bed and she had the false penis in her hand so she asked me to go in her room but I thought it was the same checking that was still going on so I went inside, so she pressed the center bottom and it started vibrating just like when you put generator on so she asked me to lay down on the bed, I did then she put her spit on it and placed it in me, she started doing it to me like when you beating pepper and after doing it to me, she did it to herself “, Satta disclosed.
Moreover, Satta said she was mercilessly abused with the electronic penis for over 10 minutes by Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah, and afterward, she allegedly threatened to make her life miserable if she ever informed anyone. “The thing I did to you, if you tell anybody, I will go to Bong County and witch you, and you will bleed until you die, Satta quoted Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah.
She further noted, “Since she noticed that I never used to like her attitude, another day she brought certain liquor home; they call it a bad day.” She said it can give people energy and is good for the body, so she gave me the liquor, and I drank it. After I drank the liquor, I felt weak and I was feeling dizzy, but everything she did to me I felt and I can remember it, but I never had the strength to do anything”.
According to Satta, Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah’s unorthodox attitude was uninterruptedly demonstrated on her throughout the period she stayed at her home, but due to the threat, she didn’t inform anyone about her actions.
Besides, she noted that she was stopped from making friends in the community because Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah allegedly told her that their neighbors are gossipers and they might influence her negatively.
On multiple occasions, while on their way home from Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah’s shop at Duport road junction, the survivor asserted that Ms. Zoah often purchased cigarettes and took the alcoholic drink “No Bad Day” along with her. She said the alcoholic drink was what Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah consistently used to weaken her whenever she needed to satisfy her sexual desire, while she (Ruthlyn) used to consume cigarettes.
Satta and Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah resided in the home together alone on GSA Road, as she said police spokesman Moses Carter could only spend a few days there once in a while.
As the situation became more demeaning, Satta informed her mother that she needed to leave, even though she didn’t state the actual reason that prompted her decision.
However, this decision was interrupted by Mr. Carter, after he went on a few days’ visit to their home on GSA Road and reportedly appealed to her to stay on the grounds that the interior is not good for her.
Even though she reconsidered her decision and thought to stay with them, Satta narrated that Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah’s action became worse as she was used as her sex partner on a daily basis.
“After doing the thing, I started to feel real pain in-front me, so so sore was in front me even if I go pepe, I can feel the pain so on March 5th, I didn’t even follow her to her shop because I was not even having strength, so when she came in the night she brought the liquor so when she gave me the liquor, I refused it, and I told her that I was not drinking it so she said if I refuse to drink the liquor she was going to put me outside that night and it was after 11, so I refused to drink the liquor and she put me out that night, but firstly I thought it was joke so I begged her but she said if I couldn’t drink the liquor, she was not going to allow me in and I refused so she went to bed”, she alleged.
Howbeit, she said she spent the night at a neighbor’s place and informed the police spokesman the next day that she had resolved to return to her parents in Nimba, and he didn’t hesitate.
Prior to her planned departure on March 6, 2023, Satta said she got hold of one of the house’s keys, and later that day she smartly took the electronic penis and other belongings (passport, hair, and footwear) of Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah to justify the truthfulness of her claims if it had gotten to where it is now.
After she confiscated the different items, the survivor explained that it was already late for her to return to Nimba, so she reportedly spent the night in the Paynesville belt, in a garage.
But prior to her arrival in Nimba, she said the police spokesman informed her family that she stole his girlfriend’s $2,000 and other materials.
Upon her arrival in Nimba County on March 7, 2023, she was arrested and jailed for more than 24 hours at a local depot in Saclepea, Nimba County, under the order of police spokesman Moses Carter.
Ruthlyn and Carter’s responses to the allegation
When contacted, Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah, the alleged girlfriend of police spokesman Moses Carter, said she knew nothing about the allegation.
She went further by mentioning that she doesn’t know the alleged survivor and that she has never interacted with her.
Though she didn’t comment on her relationship with Mr. Carter, Ms. Zoah threatened legal action against individuals that will spread what she termed as misleading information the alleged survivor is spreading.
At the same time, police spokesman Moses Carter admitted that he ordered the arrest of the survivor upon her arrival in Saclepea, but clarified that it was never prompted by the fact that he knows the alleged perpetrator, but in his capacity as a law enforcement officer.
Though Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah said she has never interacted with the alleged survivor, Mr. Carter confirmed that Satta resided with Ruthlyn for about two weeks, but they never had a smooth relationship.
Moreover, the police spokesman alleged that the survivor’s father allegedly threatened to destroy his record after he made efforts to have her account for the alleged act of theft she committed.
“That little girl’s father threatened to damage me by all means because of the law enforcement role I played to have his daughter account for her action of stealing my friend’s things,” he said.
When quizzed about his relationship with Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah, the police spokesman said they are both friends.
Satta’s plead
Satta, the alleged survivor, is calling on the Gender Ministry and other women’s groups to ensure that she gets justice.
As she has been accused by Ms. Ruthlyn Zoah of thievery, which she says she’s innocent of, she wants the matter investigated so that the young woman can face justice for her alleged actions of sexual abuse.
“I’m feeling pain, actually; I can’t even pee freely, and anytime I go urinate, I can always feel pain; the moment I put food in my stomach, I can feel pain; if I cough, I can feel pain; so I can’t talk hard and I can’t shout; actually, I’m really feeling pain,” she lamented.
Satta is a 10th grade dropout. She was assured by Ruth Zoah that she would have been sent to school if she had agreed to stay with her, but she didn’t.
The family’s position
Both Satta’s mother and father have described the allegation of thievery against their daughter as a strange thing, as they noted that she has not been known to be such a child.
The parents are intimidated by the fact that the police spokesman is involved in the case, but they are calling on all actors in civil society and human rights defenders to ensure that the right thing is done.
The victim’s mother said both Mr. Carter and Ruthlyn misinformed them that their daughter was coming to town to attend school and take care of their child.
According to the family, the police in Nimba reportedly refused to release the child earlier because they were instructed by Mr. Carter.
They said the survivor was later released after police in the county mandated that they return to Monrovia and continue with the $2,000 case and the sexual abuse case at the Headquarters of the Liberia National Police.
Satta’s mother is a local businesswoman, while her father is involved with farming activities in Saclepea, Nimba County.
Women’s rights expert position
Meanwhile, award-winning women’s rights defender and Executive Director of Rescue Reach, Mrs. Ne-Suah Beyan-Livingstone, has called for a speedy trial of the alleged perpetrator so that the victim can have justice.
The women’s rights advocate is of the belief that every child deserves justice, so the settlement of the case will make everyone happy.
She believes it was unfair for Mr. Carter to order the arrest of the kid, something she thinks is a misuse of power.
Furthermore, she wants the survivor to be treated, as she has reported about the severe pain she continues to experience from her vagina to her stomach.
Moses Carter and Ruthlyn Zoah’s lies to Sattta’s parents
Ms. Ruth and Mr. Carter allegedly told Satta’s mother that they had a child that they needed Satta to take care of while in town, but it was made known that they don’t have a child where they are residing on GSA Road.
Both Ms. Ruth and Mr. Moses Carter allegedly promised to send Satta to school, but the alleged survivor didn’t attend school till she left their home. (Carter argued that the girl arrived when the academic year was in progress.)
Police spokesman Moses Carter’s marital status
Police spokesman Moses Carter is legally married to Mrs. Peso Grimes Carter, and they have several children.
On September 23, 2021, the spokesperson of the Liberia National Police was dragged to the Monrovia City Court by his wife for persistent non-child support.
Moses Carter’s wife, Peso Carter, accused him of failing to support his home in December 2020.
Though he noted that it was his private matter, Mrs. Peso Carter didn’t withdraw her disclosure about his failure to support his home from December 2020 to December 2021.
Medical report’s status
As the needed medical checkups were done at the Hope for Women medical facility, it is said that the institution keeps reneging on making the report available, as they later last week promised to make it available by Thursday of this week.
Sexual abuse and theft cases’ status
As the tragedy now involves the alleged thievery case and the reported sexual abuse case, the police spokesman disclosed to this paper that the thievery case has been suspended while the Women and Children division of the Liberia National Police is investigating the alleged sexual abuse case.
He said the stolen items are currently in the possession of the Women and Children unit of the Liberia National Police LNP) as the investigation is ongoing.
Sexual abuse under the law
According to chapter 14, sub chapter D (a)2 (Sexual offenses) of the Panel law of Liberia, it describes the offense of rape as a person who has sexual intercourse with another person (male or female) has committed rape if he/she intentionally penetrates the vagina, or anus of another person with a foreign object or with any other part of the body(other than the penis)”.
If the allegation made by Satta is true, it will be described as a felony rape of the first degree as Chapter 14, Subchapter D (Grading and Sentencing) (a)1 of the penal law provides that “Rape is a felony of the first degree where the victim was less than 18 years of age at the time the offense was committed.”
According to Chapter 14, Subchapter D (Grading and Sentencing) (b) of the Penal Law, “The maximum sentence for first-degree rape shall be life imprisonment, and for the purposes of this bill it shall be treated as a capital offense under Section 13.1.1: Capital Offenses of the Criminal Procedure Law.”
