Monrovia – Theresa (not her real name), 31, has alleged that the Deputy Managing Director for Administration, Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC), Moseray Momoh, sexually harassed her in the name of giving her job.
Report by Bettie K. Mbayo, [email protected]
According to her, she came across Momoh on the pro-poor day celebration at the Coalition for Democratic Change.
Theresa said she went to the party headquarters to put her name on a list as she was told by a friend that the party was collecting names and employing partisans at different government ministries and entities.
Momoh questioned her why she was at the headquarters.
“I told him I went to get my name on a list for job so he told me to meet him at his office for job on Front Street, which I did and I gave him my CV.”
“He told me that I have already been hired and my salary will not be less than US$350 and L$20,000. He also told me to attend the workshop organized by the entity to be trained on the job that I will be doing.”
According to her, after the three-day workshop, she received a call from the entity to be working until a position is assigned to her.
“After a week of going, we were told by our supervisor to stop coming until he calls you. So, I sat for days. I placed a call to Momoh to ask him what was going on at which time, he told me to meet him at his office.”
She continued, “I hurriedly dressed and went to his office, I waited for hours and met him at last. I asked him concerning my job and he told me everything was ok and I shouldn’t worry and I will start work on Monday.
“I told him thanks for the job and wanted to leave, he told me to wait for him after he asked me where I was heading, I told him Paynesville; so we left the office together.
“He put me in his car and told his driver to follow as he was riding with his friend in the front seat.”
Theresa said his friend vehicle drove into a local hotel followed by the vehicle she was riding and Momoh asked for her excused that he was meeting his friend quickly.
“He and his friend went upstairs and I was in the lobby for an hour waiting and then his friend left, it didn’t take long, the receptionist told me that Momoh told her to take me upstairs, and I followed.”
“When I got in his room he was lying on the bed half-naked and I questioned him why he was like that, he told me to feel comfortable, which I wasn’t.”
“And he told me to tell him why I needed the job and I told him, I am a single mother of two children, and a college drop-out, and wanted to secure the future for my children.”
According to her, she explained partly to Momoh, who later requested sex with him, but she refused.
She narrated, “He jumped from the bed and acted like he was going to the door, by that time I stood up wanting to leave, he forcefully shoved me on the bed, I struggled, screamed but he overpowered me and that’s how he was successful in having sex with me.”
Theresa said the case was taken to Zone 3, Women and Children Protection Section (WACPS) of the Liberia National Police (LNP) but was immediately taken over by the head office of WACPS at the LNP headquarters.
According to her, the case was correctly investigated from the start but alleged that investigators told her that the accused (Momoh) is a ‘high-profiled’ man and the case couldn’t go forward.
But WACPS rebutted the statement adding that the accuser willingly abandoned the case.
Momoh in a phone conversation with this newspaper denied knowing the accuser adding that he is a happily married man with family.
“I don’t know her; I am married. I have my wife, I will sue her and my wife will also sue her.”
He said he has not gone to the local hotel named but confirmed that he met the investigators at WACPS and answered questions recommending this newspaper to have the record.