By Never G. Lomo,armahlomo@gmail.com
For allegedly flogging a female student, the proprietor of the Soltiamon Christain School System in Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, Pastor Solomon Joah, Sr. and his son, Solomon Joah Jr. an official of the school, have been sent to jail based on charges leveled against them by the girl’s parents.
Following an appearance at the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice today (Tuesday, July 2, 2019), Pastor Juah and his son were whisked off to the Monrovia Central Prison known as South Beach.
Tuesday’s turn of event at the court follows last week’s action by the Education Ministry to slap a L$350,000.00 fine the Soltiamon School for the recent incident of corporal punishment, which the Ministry says is against the country’s education policy.
“The Ministry of Education frowns on the action exhibited by one of the administrators (Mr. Dean Juah, Jr) of the Soltiamon Christian School (SCS), located on 19th Street, Sinkor, who applied corporal punishment to one of its female students.
“Despite series of awareness of the Regulations as reiterated in the Ministry’s 2018/2019 academic calendar banning “Corporal Punishment as beating, canning or any form of punishment that will cause physical and moral injury to a student, the administrator in question did not adhere,” an Education Ministry press release said on June 27, 2019.
The court charges are Aggravated Assault and criminal Facilitation based on oath and complaint of the Republic of Liberia by and thru Abel William for and on behalf of his minor daughter, Saluwa L. Casa in a Writ issued by the Monrovia City Court.
According to a writ of arrest during the period of May 20, 2019 in the area of 20th Street Sinkor, the City of Monrovia Montserrado County, that Co-dedendant Solomon M. Joah Jr. who is a teacher at the Soltiamon Christian School System being there and then with the intent to cause private prosecutor’s daughter serious bodily injury.
The writ of arrest said for purposely, intentionally beat, whip and inflicted pains and injuries wound on the body and butt which said action on the part of the aforesaid co-defendant was intentionally ignored by co-defendant, Solomon M. Joah, Sr.
The principal and authority of the school with the intent to facilitate the violent conduct of co-defent Solomon Joah Jr.
Meanwhile, arrest of writ said the alleged act of the defendant being unlawful, wicked, illegal and intentional is violation of section 14.20 and 10.2 of the new penal law of Liberia there and then the crimes herein the dedendants did and commit.
Pastor Solomon Joah Sr. and Solomon Jr. Jailed came at the result, when a ten grade female student was severely flogged by Solomon Joah jr. for leaving class wirhout acess pass.
According to the information gathered by this Reporter, the tenth grade female student mentrual period was coming and she never has any sanitary pad to used so she decided to go to her friend in the next class and a sanitary pad was given to her by her friend at which time she met Solomon Joah, Jr. in the corridor and she was asked for the access which she never has.
The information gathered ten grade female student added that since she has the access pass in her possession she was given sixty-five lashes for the first time but she did not share tears which Solomon Joah, Jr. since she did not share tears meaning the sixty-five lashed did not hurt her so he went ahead by giving another sixty-five lashes on body and butt.
However, instead of Mr. Solomon Joah Sr. appealing to the parents of the victim, his respond was beating students are part of their handbook.
This now bring the Education Ministry on the spotlight as to what their role concerning the Soltiamon Christian School System.