The Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection along with the Child Protection Network (CPN) is calling for speedy investigations and prosecutions for all the alleged perpetrators who have been involved in recent circumstances which involved child abuse cases, two murder cases and trafficking of 22 children.
Speaking during a press conference recently at the Ministry of Gender, the Deputy Minister for Gender and Social Protection, Lydia Mai Sherman said it can be recalled that on December 13, 2020, the death news of a five-year old boy named Joseph K. Kollie who met his untimely death in the Morris’s Farm Community in Paynesville, is yet to be established who might have murdered the child as the police arrested the security guard David T. Akoi who is the only suspect so far of the deceased grandfather’s compound.
“According to officers of the Liberia National Police who previously investigated the case, the suspect was charged with Circumstantial Murder and Homicide without malice aforethought which the CPN considered less in weight,” she explained.
Minister Sherman further stated that on February 14, 2021, the CPN became troubled about another untimely death of an 11-year old Jerome Brown in the Palm Beach Community who was allegedly confined and starved to death by his biological father and step-mother but thanks to the MOJ and MoGCSP because the case is now in court and they are looking forward to a speedy and logical conclusion.
“Additionally, 22 children were allegedly trafficked from Gbarpolu County to Margibi County on January 29,2021 but notwithstanding, the children were rescued by the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) and turned over to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the children are presently in our care while awaiting investigation to be concluded, “she explained.
She also explained that the Government of Liberia was among 12 countries that signed the Declaration on Securing Children’s Right on the 1st of December 2017 at the international Child Rights Conference in Zanzibar on sharing best practices and policy on child protection, Justice and participation convened by the World Future Council (WFC), as well as many other legal instruments that called for the protection of children.
However she explained that the pillar 1 of the PAPD (power to the people) 2.4.2 highlights children protection as a key priority to the Government of Liberia, as it is committed to implementing the Child Welfare and Protection; consequently the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Child Protection Network (CPN) has condemned the murder and trafficking and all other abuses of children across Liberia.