By Alex Yomah
The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Major General Prince C. Johnson, III seems displeased over the increased capital cases including rape and is pushing for stronger punishments that could serve as deterrence to would-be perpetrators.
The Army Chief of Staff response connects to reactions to a story on the OK FM yesterday that a 32-year-old man who stands accused of raping a 13-year-old girl, killed and buried her after he had, had sex with her and is now begging the security for mercy thereby ascribing his action to US$ 15, 000 inducement.
Maj. General Johnson averred, “In my individual capacity as Prince Johnson, I want the re-introduction of capital punishment to serve as a warning to murderers and would-be murderers.”
The decision of Maj. Johnson buttressed by other prominent citizens who called on the show presented by Clarence Jackson was triggered by frustration due to the number of girls that are being gang raped on daily basis without any stringent measure to serve as a deterrent.
Capital punishment is the culmination of violence at both ends of society. The violence of individual criminal, who is caught in a cycle of violence and whose life ends in a violent death; and the violence of the state; with its police forces and wars whose ultimate expression is the use of violent death as a form of retributive justice.
It is a legitimization of culture of death from the highest level of worldly authority. The death penalty is ineffective as a deterrent for crime, though it can be used very effectively as a way for religious majorities to oppress minorities, eliminate political adversaries, create terror, and among others.