STATE OF EMERGENCY
Epidemic Proportion - Prevalence of RAPE
ADVOCACY INTERNATIONAL - Liberia
More Than 600 Cases of Rape, Sodomy, Abuses During COVID-19
State of Emergency in a country of 6 million people.
A review of statistics from the Bureau of Corrections at the Ministry of Justice for the months of January to June 2020 shows that more than 600 cases of aggravated assault, sodomy, sodomy with criminal intent and rape were reported and are currently being investigated.
According to the Sexual Gender Based Violence Unit of the MOJ, total new cases from January to June indicated: 107 cases tried in court, leading to 44 convictions and 42 acquittals. This includes all cases received from the Liberian National Police(LNP) and have or being adjudicated by the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence at the MOJ. The Data covers Montserrado, Bong, Nimba, Lofa, Maryland, Grand Gedeh, River Gee and Grand Kru.
Cases Reported
Police charged and forwarded to court a 29-year-old man for allegedly raping 2-years, 10 months old twin girls.
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An officer of the Liberia National Police allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl last Saturday, June 20, at a police sub-station in King Gray, Paynesville, while police were investigating another man accused of attempting to rape her.
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According to the statistics, viewed by FrontPageAfrica, between January and July, there have been a total of 450 incidents of statutory rape, 100 cases of rape, 55 cases of gang-related rape and ten cases involving sodomy.
Brewerville – A 17-year old girl has been allegedly ganged raped by a man known to be “her former lover” along with two others in the Brewerville community – a township outside Monrovia. But she’s worried that her parents may compromise the case. https://frontpageafricaonline.com/news/liberia-17-year-old-girl-gang-raped-by-ex-boyfriend-two-others/
Ganta, Nimba County – The Women and Children Division of the Liberia National Police (LNP) has arrested and sent to court a 37-year-old pastor of the Royal Apostolic Church in Christian Community in Ganta, Nimba County for alleged rape.
Snapper Hill Community in Monrovia, arrested a 54years old defendant who convinced and coerced and carried the private prosecutrix or victim to the basement of the old Ducor Palace Hotel and sexually abused her. ********************************** Christian Association of the Blind (CAB) Study Class Teacher Reportedly Raped 13-year-Old Student. Monrovia – The braille study class teacher at the Christian Association of the Blind (CAB), who has been accused of raping a 13-year-old visually impaired 13-year-old girl, has been arrested. https://frontpageafricaonline.com/news/liberia-christian-association-of-the-blind-cab-study-class-teacher-who-reportedly-raped-13-year-old-student-incarcerated/*****************************
Liberia: 17-Year-Old Girl Body Discovered after Being Brutally RapedVirginia – The naked bruised body of Fatu T*, 17, was found near an unfinished building on August 27. No one could confirm what had happened but residents alleged she was raped and murdered.The body was seen at the back of the Liberia National Police depot at about 11 PM but there was no family contact. The police later quarantined the area while the body stayed a day before it was removed https://frontpageafricaonline.com/news/liberia-17-year-old-girl-body-discovered-after-being-brutally-raped/
Gbarnga, Bong County – Rev. Samuel Kayeah, the pastor accused of raping his 15-year-old congregant, has been suspended by the United Methodist Church in Liberia. “The suspension of Rev. Karyeah is in relation to the investigation and subsequent arrest on rape charges against the pastor,” the church said in a release.Police in Gbarnga on Wednesday, April 1, 2020 sent to court the 54-year-old pastor of the St. John United Methodist Church in Gbarnga after he was earlier investigated and charged with statutory rape.
Perpetrators Range from Men of God to Police Officers
The emergency has since been reduced despite the ongoing 6pm to 6am curfew in place, many who are confined to homes find themselves falling prey to abuses while young boys and girls spending most of their time at home out of school because of the pandemic, are being abused by family members or stepparents.