Brewerville – A 17-year old girl has been allegedly ganged raped by a man known to be “her former lover” along with two others in the Brewerville community – a township outside Monrovia. But she’s worried that her parents may compromise the case.
Explaining her ordeal in an exclusive interview with FrontPageAfrica, Mamie (not her real name), disclosed that the incident occurred around 10 PM on the Devine Football Field in the Parker Corner Community on January 29.
She added that prior to the incident, she was in a relationship with one of suspect, Eric Mulbah, Jr, but quitted after she realized that he had another relationship.
Following an altercation with Eric, Police warned him to stay away from Mamie. He had kept his distance until the night of January 29.4
The Happening
The victim narrated that since New Year’s Day; Eric had frequently requested to meet within a bid to settle the dispute. When she finally consented, he had already planned with two others to gang rape her. The other two alleged suspects are two persons only identified as Emmanuel and Dada.
“On Wednesday, January 29, I was at VOA junction and Eric Mulbah called me to go to him because I told him the relationship must stay [was over]. I went there and he said the thing that happened between us, he wants us to settle it. He said let’s walk down the road – [it was] by then it was 9 PM going to 10 PM. We walked on the field and I saw Emmanuel and one other boy coming,” she explained.
The victim continued: “Eric left me standing and when to Emmanuel and the other boy. I don’t know what they talked but Emmanuel came from behind me and grabbed my mouth. The other boy raced me down. Emmanuel held my mouth. Eric was the first to have sex with me.
“After him, Emmanuel came there and the other boy – I don’t know his name but I know him by face. I was fighting but I was not able to move from there. I was bleeding. One little boy came and said what happened? And I told him that Eric and his friends raped me.”
The boy then used her cellphone to call for help, she recalled.
The ‘Denial and Confession’
Mamie said Eric earlier denied committing the act, but would later confide in his father, who, she claimed, has been allegedly apologizing on the suspect behalf.
“[On] Thursday, they (parents) told Eric and he said it was not his doing. My father called Eric’s father and said ‘called your son and ask him good, when it is not his doing, I will carry the case to the police station, when that is his doing; we will know how to handle it’,” she said.
“[On] Saturday, he called my father and said my son said that his doing and he was begging to compromise the case. Let’s talk and fix it and my father said alright but let’s carry the girl to the hospital”.
Lingering Compromise
Mamie’s father refused to allow reporters see the medical report from the John F. Kennedy Medical Center. However, the victim claimed that she was given several stitches and informed by doctor that her womb has been “damaged”.
“My father has the report and he is not giving it to people to see because they want to compromise. The man (Eric’s father) came with begging business,” she explained.
“My parents put me outside yesterday. They want to compromise it; they said I should go because I told journalist.”
The mother of the victim (name withheld) felt reluctant to allow her daughter grant an interview to FPA last week, expressing concern that the victim should seek permission from her father before speaking to the media.
However, Mamie said she’s opening up to the press because she suspect that her parents want to compromise the case.
After rejecting several interview requests, Mamie’s father later opted to speak to FPA via mobile phone. He described the victim as a “stubborn and troubled child that does not listen to her parents”.
“As far as I am concerned, I can’t be held liable for anything… You don’t know that girl that’s all. I born her and I have feelings for her; but she doesn’t want to listen to me.
He denied attempting to receive the amount of US$1,500 from one of the suspects’ father to compromise the case, adding “God will destroy that person who gave you that information”.
He also denied claims that he has not reported the incident to the police. But the Women and Children Section of the Liberia National Police disclosed that although they have heard about the incident, statements have not been extracted from the victim due to her worsening condition.
Smear Campaign
Mr. Eric M. Mulbah, Sr., the father of the main suspect, is an employee of the United States Embassy near Monrovia and a resident of the Christopolis Community in Brewerville, outside Monrovia.
He has been accused of attempting to pay US$1,500 to the victim’s parent as a means of compromising any further investigation into the alleged gang rape.
But speaking in a telephone interview, the suspect’s father admitted that his son and the victim were in a love relationship before the incident. He, however, accused the victim of attempting to “damage” his son because of their failed relationship.
“I did not go for compromise; I went and I told them that this girl’s health comes first only because she and my son were in relationship before – they were loving before. I didn’t know that terrible things happened between them before that her father knew about and he didn’t tell me,” he stated.
“She broke window glasses and damaged someone vehicle because my son was loving to this person’s daughter. This is someone who has chosen to damage my son, and so, I didn’t go there to compromise. I told them that night that the girl’s health comes first-if you chose to take it to court, it’s up to you after she is treated. I want there out of sympathy and not to compromise. My son is 21 years old but her father didn’t know that.”
Meanwhile, the Women and Children Section at the Zone Six (6) police station in Brewerville has launched an investigation into the alleged gang rape. The suspects are currently on the run.