BY: KAI GEE

IPNews-Grand Gedeh County: The Women and Children’s Protection Section of the Liberia National Police, Grand Gedeh detachment has pledged to apply more stringent measures in the fight against rape.

Current Statistics puts Grand Gedeh with 32 cases of rape and sodomy as of January to August, this year. The most recent cases include a 6-year old boy who was sodomized by Bryant Poquee-21, in CVI Bella Yalla Gold Mine; a girl age-14 who was allegedly gang raped by Alexon Toe and Kingsley Teh both of age 21 in Zwedru, and a 14-year old, who has been impregnated by Charles Washington age 19 in Dweaye Town.

Making the disclosure of those statistics to the Independent Probe Newspaper GRAND GEDEH CORRESPONDENT, LNP women and Children’s Protection Section Chief Inspector Samuel Paye said the rape cases are on the increase because of what he termed as the “usual compromises by parents and guardians”.

He also blamed parents and guardians on failing to aid the police in carrying on proper investigation for further prosecution of the perpetrators.

He threatened the Justice System’s plan to incarcerate any parent who will attempt to downplay cases of sexual crimes perpetrated against their children.

Inspector Paye noted that two of the recent cases have been investigated and forwarded to court, while the most recent case is being probed in Grand Gedeh County.

Rape cases in Liberia are on a rampage with a report of more than 600 from January 2020 through July 2020, amidst the Coronavirus pandemic.

Chief Inspector Samuel Paye outlined insufficient mobility and less number of officers to patrol and effectuate arrests within various communities, among others as challenges to the combat of rape and other crimes in the county.

He also called on local and national employees to seek clearance from the Police before employment of any individual, so as to restrict one time rape perpetrators from getting these jobs.

“By the government or whoever making appointment in any sector accepting clearances from the police, it will help to curtail these hindrance crimes across the country. Let this be enforced in all functionaries of government. If you have a report of rape, you shouldn’t be given the opportunity” he recommended.

Paye is also advised those alleged rape perpetrators to complete their maximum sentences and calling on the court to make harsh their penalties.

“Let the court including judges ensure that alleged perpetrators serve their actual jailed sentences. Let us stop compromising these cases in the interest of selfish gain at the detriment of our young daughters, sisters and mothers” he advised.