By S. Siapha Mulbah
Relatives of the two Liberian government officials sentenced to nine years imprisonment each by the Korean court for Sexual Assault are calling for a home-based prosecution for their family members.
Moses Owen Browne and Daniel Tarr families gathered on the streets early yesterday, April 6, 2023 with the aim of appealing to the Government of Liberia to engage the Korean government diplomatically in getting the two guilty official back home to be prosecuted.
A man who identified himself as Owen Browne’s brother expressed disappointment in the news of his brother getting involved in such situation terming it as a national embarrassment; shameful to the country he represented at that international event that took place in Korea.
Eugene Jones said his brother and Daniel Tarr’s actions caused the face of the Liberian government to bowed in the utmost shame that the family strongly condemned.
He apologized to Liberians home and abroad for the inconvenience caused by the two individuals and appealed that the government works as soon as possible with the Korean government so that the two Liberian citizens involved in the act can be brought home to face the consequences of the actions.
“We are really disappointed from the time we as a family became engaged by the Liberia Maritime Authority that Moses and Daniel got themselves in that great embarrassment. We are sorry to the government and the people of Liberia because the actions of our relatives have brought them huge shame,” Jones added.
According to him, the situation though being decided by the foreign land justice system, a diplomatic intervention for the both countries to penalize the guilty individuals in their home land could be the best.
He added, “The actions for which the two of them were sentenced is a situation that needs not to go unpunished. We want the government to punish them here, where we the families and other people of interest can followed up on them. This is our appeal to the President and all others that can help us in these crises.”
The mother of Moses Owen Browne disclosed that since the situation occurred, the families had closely related with the Maritime Authority who had been relating all information.
Mother Beatrice Sorwah explained that their gathering as a family was in no way intended to protest as speculated but to launch an appeal to clear their worries.
According to her the family over seven months have had no direct communication with the two guilty officials which have made those directly connected to them fearing for their lives.
