PHOTO: Apostle D. Franklin Snorton
The Liberian National Police in Kakata, Margibi County is expected tto send to court a senior Pastor of the Philadelphia Church, Apostle D. Franklin Snorton, after allegedly raping a 21-year-old pregnant woman.
Reports since the allegation, he was arrested, detained by Police and he has been undergoing investigation. But one report says the cleric has denied the accusation.
Rape is a second degree felony and it is a nonbailable crime in Liberia.
The woman claimed that she was abused recently, when she went to pay their contribution of ten United States dollars to the Pastor (a community leader) on behalf of her grandmother for repair their transformer. She said the pastor told her to go to him in his living room, in order to write her name in book where others’ names were written for record sake.
When she entered and took her seat in the living room, the woman alleged that the pastor said he forgot about pen and went out to find one. And upon his return, she claimed that he decided to play with her breast and kiss her but she pushed him aside. She further said that he later went for knife to stab her, if she refused him.
Thereafter, she explained that the pastor allegedly threw her on the floor and sexually satisfied his desire, something she claims was premeditated.
While committing the act, the woman said Pastor Snorton told her that he has been behind her when she used to go draw water from his yard and she had been resisting him prior to her getting pregnant.
The Pastor is said to be married to an Indian woman, who is abroad after going through breast cancer surgery.
Apostle Snorton later turned himself over to the Police in Kakata, following a complaint filed in by the 21-year-old woman’s parents that he sexually abused their daughter.
But so far, Philadelphia Church authorities are yet to make any statement on the rape allegation against their senior cleric.
Chapter 14:70 of the New penal law of Liberia states that
- 14.70. Rape. (ONLY FOR OFFENSES COMMITTED ON OR AFTER JAN 17, 2006.)
- Offense. A person who has sexual intercourse with another person (male of female) has
committed rape if:
(a)
- (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
- (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. Report by Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com