Several families of school-going children, who were reportedly raped to death in Nimba County, are demanding justice for the victims since the incident occurred.
Dozens of family relatives, whose children were raped to death between 2020 and 2023 across Nimba County, are yet to get justice.
In early 2020, a resident of Gbahn Town on the Ganta – Saclepea Highway, 43-year-old Saye Doe, was arrested for allegedly raping, to death, a one year old baby in the bush.
The mother of the baby told reporters that the deceased was left in suspect Doe’s kitchen while the rest of them were on the farm working when the incident occurred.
She explained that, following the incident, Doe was arrested and brought to the Sanniquellie Central Prison, but was later freed without any information being provided to the family members who had gone to Sanniquellie to follow the outcome of the case.
She added that the deceased’s family members were left with no choice but to gather in front of the Eighth Judiciary Circuit Court in Sanniquellie City and demand justice.
Our Nimba County correspondent said the abandoment of rape cases has created serious public mistrust in the judicial institution.
On May 27, 2023, three officers of the Emergency Response Unit ( ERU) of the Liberia National Police assigned in Yekepa, Nimba County, allegedly gang raped a 23-year-old woman in Yekepa.
The ERU officers had earlier offered the victim a lift in their car, but while on the Yekepa – Sanniquellie Highway, they stopped and held the victim at gunpoint, before allegedly raping her.
The Ministry of Gender, Child, and Welfare office in Nimba County reported the incident to journalists.
The three officers were invited for questioning, but community members have since seen them going about their normal duties up to present.
In May 2023, a staff of the Gender Ministry Sub-Office in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, Brown W. Duomentor, told our Nimba County correspondent that up to present, lady has been denied justice.
The State security officers accused the victim of stealing their cell phones and was on the run for days.
Rural Nimba County remains a concern, amid mounting calls for awareness on Sexual And Gender-Based Violence, which includes rape cases.
Three men were recently sentenced by the Criminal Court E at the Eighth Judiciary Circuit Court in Sanniquellie for three separate Statutory Rapes.
In its first Court sitting on July 2, 2020, the court found an 80-year-old man, identified as Nya Zaingbaye, guilty of statutory rape, after he used his fingers to penetrate the genitals of several underaged children.
Zaingbaye was sentenced to three years in prison, but was released a few months later after family members paid for his release.
Some of the rape victims’ family members who spoke with our Nimba County correspondent, expressed disappointment and frustration in the judicial institution for releasing most of the rape suspects witout trial.
But when the court was contacted, they told our correspondent that their decision was based on old age and health conditions, as the court recommended that the victim serve half of his prison term on probation.
On July 7, the 35 year old Abraham Kepeh received a prison sentence of three years for raping a 12-year-old girl in Tappita.
The crime took place on December 2, 2019, but he was released in less than three weeks.
The Criminal Court E in Sanniquellie recently ordered the release of 17-year-old Williamson Nyanquee and 47-year-old Preston Gualee, who were indicted for kidnapping and gang-raping a 39-year-old woman on January 18, 2020, in Garr Digamon on the Ganta-Sanniquellie Highway.
Our correspondent said most of the suspects have benefited from cash-induced release from prison, while the rest of them benefited their family members engaging the victims’ family members and using cash to influence judges.
