By Garmah Never Lomo,garmahlomo@gmail.com
Reports from Liberia’s southeast Grand Gedeh County say two underage girls and an eighteen woman have been raped, with some being transferred in JFD referral hospital in Tappita, Nimba County due to extent of the condition.
A 65-year-old man identified as Solomon Blamn allegedly raped a girl, age 8 who is said to be his own niece.
According to the reports, the incident occurred on recently in Zleh Town, when the survivor went to visit her grandmother. But when the girl’s grandma left her in the living room and went to do some cleaning behind the house for about an hour, the suspect took advantage of that and allegedly sexually assaulted the little girl.
The victim was taken into his bedroom and abused, warning her not to tell anyone about what happened.
But days later, the victim started bleeding and explained what had happened to her, after which she was taken to a local health center where it was confirmed that the doer of act did penetrate the girl.
Defendant Blamn was charged with statutory by the women and children protection of the Liberia National police and forwarded to court.
In the other rape incident, a girl who is said to be suffering from mental disorder was gang raped by three men in the New Zwedru community in Zwedru City, Grand Gedeh County.
This rape victim was said to have been passing in front of a house where some youths were sitting and their leader of the group, Cyrus Moan called her for water to drink. And when the lady went for the water, she was grabbed by the three young men and taken to a room, where she was sexually abused by them.
The others accused of raping the young lady are Malizen Waylee, age 20 and Abraham Zealay, age 15. After committing the act, the gang rapists later threw the victim through the window, after which some community members saw her and alarmed and reported the matter to the police.
However, the three suspects have been investigated, charged with gang rape and forwarded to court.
Meanwhile, a 21-year-old man identified as James Dueh has also allegedly raped a seven-year-old girl in Benley at a gold mining camp, about 21km away from Zwedru City, Grand Gedeh County in southeastern Liberia.
The suspect identified as Dueh is a brother to the survivor’s mother who left her seven-year-old daughter at home and went in search of firewood. But upon her return, she met her daughter in tears and bleeding seriously. The girl was later taken to a nearby health center, where she was examined and it was confirmed that she had been raped.
Suspect Dueh has meanwhile been charged with statutory rape by women and the children protection section of the Liberia National police and forwarded to court for trial.
Locals are now debating whether jailing rapists is enough or extra punishment should be prescribed by stakeholders, because people are aware that others are in jail for the same crime, yet they are still committing such crime.
Under Liberia’s rape law, this crime is a nonbailable offense.