Monrovia –The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection says the Government of Liberia is working on a possible lead in the alleged rape incident of a 13-year-old girl involving a member of the Liberian legislature but has refused to disclose details of the lead.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
According to Gender Minister, Julia Ducan Cassell, the Ministry of Gender’s work is to do advocacy for rape victims. It is the Ministry of Justice’s responsibility to prosecute would be perpetrators.
She told journalists at a Press Conference Tuesday that her Ministry has been working closely with the security sector but because of the nature of the case they are protecting the survivor and the baby of the survivor.
“The Liberian National Police was here we have gotten more information that they are working on and I am not going to disclosed the details because we see what have happen and why it has taken too long for this case.
“We are still looking for the survivor, but I can assure you that we have a lead and the Police is on that lead.”
“The CID was here yesterday. We have more information than we had yesterday,” Minister Cassell said.
The lawmaker has denied knowing the girl or being sexually involved with her, but family sources insisted that Representative Waylee has accepted responsibility for the child which she bore through C-section.
It is not yet clear why the Government is yet to initiate an investigation into the allegation involving the lawmaker, though rape is considered a first-degree felony which can garner a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Also at the news Conference Minister Cassell announced of programs activities leading to the day of the Africa child on June 16. Day of the African Child is in memory of the 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa, during which students who marched in protest against the poor quality of education were massacred by the then apartheid regime.
According to her this year’s Day of the African Child is being observed under the global theme “Accelerating protection empowerment and equal opportunities for children in Africa by 2030”, while Liberia will commemorate the day’s celebration under a National Theme “protecting Children from electoral Violence, a road map to Achieving 2030 Agenda (SGDs).
Liberia being a member of the African Union, has organized a three-day event in coherence with the commemoration of the Day of the African Child 2017 which is expected to focus on the global 2030 agenda that provides a platform to reflect on African continent’s flagship development agenda.
Minister Cassell called on parents, guardians and caregiver to ensure the protection of every child, and to guarantee that children are not used for political activities and has therefore made strong calls for an end to the scourge of child labour.
The activities will commence tomorrow, Wednesday June 14, 2017 in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County with a national Children Conference which is intended to develop a National Children Manifesto and give children the platform to articulate issues affecting them.
While in Bassa, the Conference will bring together children from the 15 counties and Child rights advocates from around Liberia to formulate action plan in protecting children from electoral violence and other vices.