By Enoch Sandoe in Rivercess, Liberia
Rape cases continue to rise in Liberia, with the latest victim being a 15-year-old girl who has allegedly being raped by a 34-year-old man in the southeastern Rivercess County.
Members of the Community Watch Forum in Monweh Statutory District conducted a citizens’ arrest of the man, Gabriel Flomo for allegedly raping the teenager in Bodowea town.
Flomo, AKA “Petty Cash” admitted to having an affair with the girl but said she willingly slept with him.
Petty Cash claimed that the girl slept with him on agreement that she was going to receive 250 Liberian dollars the next morning. But he said he gave her L$50.00 and told her that after selling his Cook pot seat the balance L$200.00 will be given her.
Even if the girl agreed to go out with him, the man’s action is still considered statutory rape under Liberian law, because girls/children below age 18 have not reached the age of consent.
Petty Cash explained that he was unable to pay the balance L$200 because none of his cook pot seat was sold, something he claimed that prompted the girl to inform her parents in the town.
However, the part, the 15-year-old rape victim said the man took advantage of her on the night of January 28, 2018 when she visited the town and was spending the night at her female friend’s house because it was to later to return home.
She said while en route to the town after bathing in the creek that night, she met Gabriel who told her that her parents were looking for her to beat on her but she needed not to go to the town.
He then persuaded her to go to a nearby village where he claimed her aunt would later take her home.
However, the girl said while en route to the village, the 34-year-old man asked her whether she knew about having sex and she said no.
“While we were going, he asked me if I na do man business and I said no. So he said I was laying down with him,” the rape victim explained.
The girls further explained that the man told her to sit on the ground which she did, because she was afraid of him,
“When I sat on the ground, he took off my clothes and had sex with me, while threatening to kill me if I tell my people,” the rape victim explained.
After committing the act, the 15-year-old girl said the man “left me in the bush, that’s how I came home by myself and told my parents.”
Meanwhile, the man is currently being detained at the local police station, where he is undergoing interrogation pending court trial.
Liberia’s Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has reported that rape is on an increase across the country.
In 2014 alone, a total of 554 rape cases in the country.