–‘Victim of a Rape Predator’, SOS Director Rapes teenager (Part II)
IPNEWS: An investigation conducted by the authoritative independent probe newspaper has revealed how authorities at the Liberia national Police release minutes after it announced investigation into an alleged acts of rape committed by SOS Children’s Villages National Director Augustine A. Alieu.
IPNEWS understands that following the arrest of the former SOS Children Village Country Director Augustine Allieu by the Liberian National Police on April 13, 2022, he was released few minutes after questioning to his lawyer.
On October 5, 2017, the Liberian Senate voted in favor of a report to amend the rape law, making rape a ‘bailable crime’. The rape law of Liberia has been a controversial law that has landed several men behind bars, some for years in pre-trial detention.
Before the coming-in of this amendment, the rape law approved DECEMBER 29, A.D. 2005, and subsequently published by authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on January 17, 2006, enacted by the national Transitional Legislative Assembly, repealed Chapter 14: Section 2: Sections 14.70 and 14.71, and states: “A person who has sexual intercourse with another person (male or female) has committed rape if: a) (i) He intentionally penetrates the vagina, anus, mouth or any other opening of another person (male or female) with his penis, without the victim’s consent; or, (ii) He/ She intentionally penetrates the vagina or anus or another person with a foreign object or with any other part of the body (other than the penis), without the victim’s consent. b) The victim is less than eighteen (18) years old, provided the actor is eighteen (18) years of age or older.”
Since the arrest of former SOS Children Village Country Director Augustine Allieu by the Liberian National Police, on April 13, 2022, the Former Director has only visited the police station twice. IPNEWS understands that apart from those two visits by Mr. Allieu, he has not shown up at the police station yet the victims who happened to be a minor has been continuously asked to come at the police station each day without her mother, Counsel or a representative from SOS Children Village where she was allegedly raped by Mr. Augustine Allieu, speaking fears that she would be bullied and teased by her alleged predator.
“Where is the justice for this innocent child, why will the government sit and allowed these wicked things happened to her own people.” An unnamed Police officer quietly told IPNEWS.
On April 14, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, in a statement stated that it finds the alleged act by the Institution’s Director disturbing, disgusting, distressing and a distasteful act that must be condemned by all.
The Ministry said the unacceptable act allegedly committed by Augustine further undermines the fight against rape and a set back to the country in achieving goal 5 (Gender Equality) of the sustainable development goals which highlights the urgent need to ending violence and exploitation of women and girls.
“What is even more appalling is the fact that the alleged perpetrator heads an Institution whose primary focus is the protection of children from all forms of violence including rape. This alleged act also undermines sexual and genders-based violence survivors and or vulnerable children’s confidence in safe homes that are set aside to protect them.” The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection statement noted.
Now IPNEWS has established that the accused former SOS Country Director, Augustine Allieu got fired as country Director for SOS Children Village Liberia, for also allegedly accused of raping another 15 years old minor under his care. Source alleged Allieu manipulated the Child reunification with her poor single mother from SOS Children Village Bassa to Monrovia outside the walls of the Village for unlimited access to the child.
Other information avail to IPNEWS says the SoS Children Village former Director, Augustine Allieu has also been fired by SoS Children Village Regional office prior to the start of the investigation of the April 13 case, for financial Malpractices, sexual harassment and other forms of abuses at the work place.
Some of the charges avail to IPNEWS by sources at SOS Regional office includes:
- Dubiously Taking salary three times a month, signed and approved by himself
- Payment of rental of US$ 18,000 per month for five years while investigators established that he was paying US $ 4,000 per month
- Disregard to procurement processes
- Bullying and physically abusing staffs
- Sexual Harassment of three female staffs, among others
In a related news, Deputy Gender Minister, Hassan Kanneh, says the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, takes seriously report that members of the Liberian National Police were releasing accused rape persons without the knowledge of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
Kanneh stated that the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, will officially inform the Ministry of Justice over this latest report and vowed to commenced a massive psychosocial campaign across Montserrado County, especially the SOS Children’s village to mitigate the trauma currently experienced by some unknown victim of rape.
For more into this, watch out for part III, the series ‘Victim of a Rape Predator’, SOS Director Rapes teenager on www.independentprobe.com
