PHOTO: Maj. General Prince Charles Johnson, AFL Chief of Staff
A Justice Ministry investigation has concluded that there is no evidence linking a senior officer of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) to allegedly raping a teenage girl.16-year-old girl.
The Ministry’s report was submitted to the AFL exonerating Lieutenant Colonel Nyankun E. Williams of the allegations.
AFL Chief of Staff, Major General Prince Charles Johnson made the disclosure in Monrovia on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 when he read a press statement to the media.
Below is full text of Gen. Johnson’s press statement.
PRESS STATEMENT
Ladies and gentlemen of the Press, we welcome you here to brief you on the investigative report from the Ministry of Justice regarding the rape allegation against Lieutenant Colonel Nyankun E. Williams, a senior officer of the Armed Forces of Liberia.
On April 26, 2021, Sergeant Obento Roberts, personnel of the Armed Forces of Liberia who is presently serving the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions in Mali, formally complaint Lieutenant Colonel Nyankun E. Williams to Headquarters Armed Forces of Liberia about having sexual intercourse with his 16 years old daughter. The complainant’s communication was received on April 28, 2021.
Following the receipt of the complainant’s communication on the above-mentioned date, the Military Police Unit which is the investigative unit of the Armed Forces of Liberia was instructed to conduct an immediate investigation into the allegation level against Lieutenant Colonel Nyankun E. Williams. The findings of the investigation were turnover to the Minister of National Defense and later forwarded to the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of National Defense has an MoU with the Ministry of Justice for handling such matters.
The Memorandum of Understanding states, “That any service member who is suspected or accused of committing serious offense or offenses against civilians, shall be turned over to the Ministry of Justice for investigation and prosecution in line with Article II of the MoU.”
On July 15, 2021, the Women and Children Protection Section turned over its investigative report to the Ministry of Justice. The report states, “That all the statements recorded from witnesses during the investigation lack corroboration to link suspect Nyankun E. Williams to the commission of the crime RAPE.”
Therefore, from facts and circumstances established during the investigation, the Women and Children Protection section of the Liberian National Police recommended that Suspect Lt. COL. Nyankun E. Williams is exonerated from the allegation of rape levied against him by Sgt. Obento Roberts on grounds of lack of evidence to link suspect Williams to the commission of the crime RAPE.
Ladies and gentlemen of the Press, I seize this opportunity to inform you that the Ministry of Justice has exonerated LT. COL. Nyankun E. Williams from the allegation of rape levied against by Sgt. Obento Roberts.
The Ministry of Justice has transmitted the findings of the investigation into an allegation of rape involving Lieutenant Colonel Nyankun E. Williams to the Ministry of National Defense.
The AFL remains a “FORCE FOR GOOD”, upholding professionalism and discipline in line with the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and the National Defense Act of 2008. We appreciate the support from all our counterparts, especially the Liberian National Police during the period of this investigation.
Thanks for your attendance.