The Liberia National Police has charged a 32-year-old man for gang rape, sexual assault, attempted murder and felonious restraint and forwarded him to the St. Paul Bridge Magisterial Court on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
The 32-year-old only identified as Bill along with two others to be identified allegedly sexually assaulted, restrained and allegedly raped a 25-year-old woman during the hours of June 10, 2024, where she had gone out with some friends at a local bar in Caldwell, Montserrado.
The survivor informed police investigation that during the morning hours of that fateful day, she and some friends had gone out and after few drinks, she felt intoxicated and decided to go home when she encountered her assailants.
“I had few drinks and decided to go home at about 3:15 that morning. I went to a waiting bike across the road and before I realized, the three men drove the bike rider away and forcefully dragged me in the nearby bush. They started beating on me violently before taking term on me. I fought and cry as hard as I could. It was only then that some people came to my rescue,” she said.
According to an eye witness, the three alleged rapists were seen in the vicinity of the bar and later went across the road when the victim was leaving the facility.
“It didn’t occur to me until we heard her screaming from the bush. When we got there, two of the guys passed by us and we were only able to apprehend one person who we turned over to the police,” the eye witness said.
The police have however put out a man hunt for the other two persons who remain at large.
“I am not part of them. I only came to the rescue of the woman,” the alleged person said. According to him, he heard the cry for help and ran to the victim’s rescue saying, “When they saw me, they left her and ran. I know them by faces but not by name,” Bill said.
But his claims were countered by one of the eyewitnesses who observed that the trio were together during the entire time leading to the incident. “I saw them together during the entire night. They sat on one of the tables before moving across the road when the lady, who was already tipsy, decided to leave. Our attention was not to them until we heard her crying,” he said.
According to medical reports, there were laceration in her private parts and bruises on her upper limbs, arms and face, indicating that she may have been assault by alleged assailants.
Meanwhile, Madam Tenneh Johnson of the GBV Crimes Unit has empathized with the survivor and promised to ensure that she get justice.
She said, “No woman should be subjected to any form of violence including sexual and gender-based violence. We are sorry for the inhumane and uncivilized act and will do all in our power to ensure that the victim gets justice.”
