By J. Mason Kollie
A 28-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping his (11) years old daughter in Voinjama.
Daniel Zayzay, age 28 was arrested by the Liberia National Police in Voinjama City, Lofa County for allegedly raping his daughter ( name withheld) in a community.
According to the police investigation, the perpetrator Daniel Zayzay sent the survival ( Name withheld) to buy a cigarette and during the process of (11) returning the cigarette, he pulled her and had sexual intercourse with her in the absence of her mother..
The Women and Child Protection Officer of the Liberia National Police in Lofa County Madam Cecelia Howard told the Women Voices Newspaper that the survival is in a safe home responding to treatment while the suspect Daniel Zayzay is currently behind bars at the Voinjama Central Prison.
Meanwhile, the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Lofa County have condemned the act and called on law enforcement agencies to speedily investigate the matter.
In June of last year, Mamena Kai, the former Acting Deputy Minister for Children and Social Protection at the Ministry of Gender, disclosed that for the first quarter of 2023, the Ministry has recorded 759 sexual and gender-based violence cases in Liberia.
She disclosed this over the weekend while addressing the Ministry of Information Culture Affairs and Tourism regular Thursday press briefing.
According to the young Minister, the total number of cases the Ministry has recorded for the first quarter, which is January to March is 759 cases. Concisely, she said in January they recorded 310, in February they recorded 309, and in March, they recorded 140 SGBV cases.
In 2023, she said 34 health facilities reported GBV cases, and 15 WAPS, which amounted to 49 facilities. These reports, according to the former Acting Deputy Minister, are collected from the various health facilities and WAPS.
From the health facilities, she said 640 cases were reported, amounting to 83.6 percent, while from WAPS, she said 126 cases were reported, amounting to 16.4 percent.
Meanwhile, it was referenced by Minister Kai, that the Ministry recorded 2,015 sexual and gender-based violence cases in 2018, 2,780 in 2019, 2,240 cases in 2020, 1,751 cases in 2021, and 1,975 cases in 2022.
