-Amid conspiracy to protect alleged repist
An alleged conspiracy to protect a 28-year-old man, identified only as Alpha, who reportedly raped a four-year-old girl, is escalating tensions in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County.
The incident occurred in the Zanwoo Quarters of Zwedru City. Witnesses claim that a resident named Christian caught Alpha in the act, but friends and relatives of the alleged rapist intervened, allowing him to escape and remain at large.
Local authorities appear to be neglecting the serious nature of the crime, allegedly influenced by financial ties to Alpha’s family and friends. This has sparked outrage from civil society groups and officials from the Ministry of Gender, Children & Social Protection, who are calling for accountability.
Sexual violence experienced during Liberia’s civil war still permeates all levels of society. Sexual violence cases hit a high of 2,708 in 2019, and 2,240 in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting former President George Weahto declare rape a national emergency.
In the ongoing case in Grand Gedeh, reports suggest that some individuals, including a senator, are attempting to sway the county’s prosecuting authorities to release those arrested for obstructing justice. Among those detained are Abdullah Barry, Habib Barry, Asatu Jalloh, and Mariama Bah.
Further allegations indicate a collusion between local prosecutors and individuals from Monrovia, including Senator Nimely, who is accused of abusing his power to undermine the case. Despite being charged over a week ago, the suspects have yet to face prosecution due to these undue interferences.
Meanwhile, responding to allegations of his involvement in shielding the alleged rapist, Senator Nimely, via Smile FM, Zeedru, denied the allegations and clarified that he was approached by the Fula Governor in Grand Gedeh County to intervene for the temporary release of two of the suspects, one of whom has just gone through a surgical operation and the other, a young baby mother.
Despite the Senator denying the allegations, accusing fingers are still being pointed at him and the County Attorney of Grand Gedeh for frustrating all efforts to speedily address this very serious matter.
After Senator Nimely denied his involvement in any syndicate to shield the alleged rapist, questions are still being asked as to whether the two individuals whose release was purportedly sought by the Fula Governor on humanitarian grounds, got into their conditions before or after the rape incident, because if the young baby mother gave birth and the operation patient went through his or her procedure before their involvement in the reported confrontation that led to the escape of the alleged rape victim, then they are fit enough to face any process of investigation and subsequent prosecution.
Citizens and residents of Grand Gedeh County are also calling on the leadership of the Liberia National Police, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, as well as the office of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, to intervene and take the matter seriously in order not to repeat the past mistakes or negligence where similar cases were handled poorly thus denying victims they deserve justice.
Rape is non-billable in Liberia. This means a suspect cannot be given bail if accused of rape in Liberia. The magistrate is required to send the suspect to prison pending a grand jury indictment and trial. The trial process is usually extremely slow in Liberia.
According to the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection’s annual statistical report on gender-based violence (GBV), some 1,975 cases were reported in 2022, 73.7% of which were rape, sexual assault, and other forms of sexual violations.
According to UNDP, the prosecution of perpetrators of sexual violence crimes has been remarkably inadequate due to several factors ranging from inadequate court infrastructure, inadequate staffing and technical capacity, and high caseloads. In 2020, the Independent National Commission on Human Rights reported that rapists continue to benefit from a deeply entrenched culture of impunity while survivors languish with slim hopes for justice.
