Raped Baby Still Undergoing Treatment, Perpetrator Given Life Sentence After Pleading Guilty
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
The Resident Circuit Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit Court Joe S. Barkon on Friday, October 6, 2033 has sentenced to life imprisonment a 20-year-old man for raping a 4-month-old baby in a town in District #3 ‘C’ , Grand Bassa County.
The incident occurred on August 8, 2033 in the village when the mother of the baby left the child with three other children and the defendant and went on the farm not far from the kitchen.
The defendant, Papay Menwon removed the baby’s clothes and penetrated the vagina and anus of the baby with his finger, causing blood to leak from the baby’s anus. The baby is undergoing treatment at Liberia Government Hospital in Buchanan with serious pain.
Resident Circuit Court Judge Joe S. Barkon
The defendants was arraigned in open court at the Second Judicial Circuit Court on September 13,2023 and pleaded guilty. But his guilty plea was set aside in line with Chapter 16.4 of the Criminal procedure law of Liberia which says.
A defendant may plead guilty or not guilty, except that in a capital case only a plea of not guilty may be accepted. The court may refuse to accept a plea of guilty in any other case and shall not accept such plea without first (a) making such inquiry as may satisfy it that the defendant in fact committed the crime charged and (b) addressing the defendant personally and determining that the plea is made voluntarily with understanding of the nature of the charge. If a defendant refuses to plead or if the court refuses to accept a plea of guilty or if a defendant corporation fails to appear, the court shall enter a plea of not guilty.
During the proceedings, state lawyers produced two witnesses while the defendant waved testimony.
Liberia penal code Chapter 14 section 14.70
Rape Offense. A person who has sexual intercourse with another person (male of female) has committed rape if:
(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
(a)
- (ii) He/She intentionally penetrates the vagina or anus of 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 years old, provided the actor is eighteen years of age or older. 2. Gang Rape. A person has committed Gang Rape, a first degree felony, if:
He or she purposely promotes or facilitates rape or agrees with one or more persons to engage in or cause the performance of conduct which shall constitute rape.
- Definitions:
(a) Sexual Intercourse
- (i) Penetration, however slight, of the vagina, anus, mouth, or any other opening of another person by the penis; or
- (ii) Penetration, however slight, of the vagina or anus of another person by a foreign object or any other part of the body (other than the penis).