By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
As rape cases escalate across Liberia, another 8-year-old girl has been gruesomely raped, rupturing her womb in the western Grand Cape Mount County.
This crime reportedly occurred in Tewor District, where the girl was allegedly raped by man, age 19 identified as Abraham Massaquoi and the little girl is currently in critical condition.
In recent months, there have been mounting calls for tougher penalties for rapists, with some calling for the death penalty, urging the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to be more robust in protecting children and women from the rising cases of sexual assault.
The cruel act was committed on Sunday, August 9, 2020 @ around 3:50 pm GMT, when the suspect called the victim to come him to be with him. But the victim never knew he has different intention and took her into his room and sexually abused her.
until her womb came outside while the victim mother was preparing their evening food.
The victim condition was noticed by her mother after her normal walking changed.
Both the victim and the suspect are said to be residing in the same community.
On Monday August 10, 2020, mother of the victim reported to women and children protection section of the Liberia National Police about the alleged rape of her daughter.
The 8-year-old victim was immediately rushed to the Sinje Health Center in Grand Cape Mount County, but health authorities at the facility referred her to the Redemption Hospital in Monrovia, as her case could not be handle at that rural facility.
Suspect Massaquoi has meanwhile been arrested and he is currently detained at the Tienii Police station in Cape Mount, awaiting police interrogation.
Many are wondering whether due to closure of schools in the midst of COVID 19 is the cause of the increase in rape cases.
Recently, two girls, ages 14 and 15 were allegedly Raped before and on July 26, 2020. But the perpetrators escaped and they have not been arrested.
Grand Cape Mount County has become one of the hot spots of rape cases in Liberia.