Monrovia – Child rights advocate Abraham Keita Monday appeared before the Monrovia City Court to answer to charges of contempt after he failed to appear before the court to honor a citation served him last week.
Report by Kennedy l. Yangian [email protected]
The court’s citation grew out of a formal complaint filed to it by Grand Gedeh District #2 Lawmaker Morias Waylee, accusing the child rights advocate of organizing a protest against him at the Capitol Building that he allegedly raped a 13-year-old girl, an allegation that the lawmaker wants Keita to prove.
Amid the court’s claim that Keita disobeyed its order, Keita on Monday with the huge presence of members of Liberia Children Forum and other supporters, surfaced at the Monrovia City Court represented by human rights lawyer Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe of Gongloe and Associates and Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi of the International Law Group (ILG).
According to his lawyer, contrary to the court’s claim that on Monday, May 22, 2017, Keita and his colleagues went to the House of Representatives to prevail on the lawmakers to investigate the allegation that lawmaker Morias Waylee had raped a 13-year-old girl .
The defense lawyer stated that after Keita’s visit to the Capitol grounds, on Tuesday two unidentified men claiming to be officers from the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice had an encounter with Keita, informing him that the court wanted to see him.
The lawyer further alleged on the records on court that the young advocate also received a call from an anonymous individual who issued a threats, creating fear for the child rights advocate.
“Your honor, the defendant did not refuse court order because no identified administrative officer from this court ever issued citation to the defendant. Please administer justice with mercy,” said Cllr. Massaquoi.
Massaquoi has also told the court that the child rights advocate’s request to the court was based on reports from the Frontpageafrica Newspaper and several other local dailies.
The prosecution lawyer told the court that the record before the court shows that Keita exercised disobedienced to the court’s order and that the court should use its wisdom to adjudge him.
Magistrate Kennedy Peabody adjourned hearing till Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at 9:00 A.M.
Lawmaker Waylee who arrived at the Monrovia City Court after the case was adjourned told reporters none of those making the allegation against him has any evidence.
“All that they are talking they have nothing to show. I challenge anyone. Do I look like someone to rape a 13-year-old girl?” Waylee asked.
According to Rep. Waylee, his intention is not to send Keita to prison, rather he wants the lad to publicly announced that he lied on him (Waylee) and also mention the name(s) of anyone pushing him to stage the protest.
When quizzed why he did not sue Frontpageafrica, Waylee said paper contacted him and reflected his side of the story in the publication.
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