With the sharp increase of rape cases to 958 in the country since March 2020, House Speaker Bhofal Chambers has proposed the reintroduction of death penalty law for rapists, especially predators involved with raping babies, girls and women in Liberia.
Speaker Chambers’ suggestion of death penalty comes in response to a letter by Lofa County District #2 Representative Julie Wiah, which states that only a handful of predators are being arrested with the increase of rape incidences in the country while those who are perpetrators are being freed by some judges.
In a communication to the Thursday dated August 27, 2020 and read by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mildred Sayon, Rep. Wiah said sexual abuse is been normalized and justified.
The Lofa Representative indicated that predators of the heinous crime are using women’s supposedly indecent dress-code to justify rape when indeed more than 90% of all the number of rape cases are kids below 13 years.
She indicated some of those cases are beyond human imagination and needs to be address speedily as most of the suggestions within a petition submitted to the House of Representative by groups of anti-rape campaigners will help to protect the women and girls of Liberia.
The Lofa County District #2 lawmaker noted that there are rape cases which include kids from one month old to ten years old, which she pointed out have strictly violate the Rape Law of Liberia. She explained that under Chapter 14 Section 14.70 of the Criminal Procedure Law; Statutory Rape is a felony of the first degree which is a nonbailable offence in Liberia.
Rep. Wiah reiterated that there are reports indicating that perpetrators in the category of Statutory Rape are set free for reasons best known to several judges.
“In view thereof Honorable Speaker, I would appreciate highly were you to give attention to this communication and that it should be placed before plenary for the way forward,” the Lofa Representative said, furthering, “Please accept, Honorable Speaker, the renewed assurances of my highest esteem.”
Accepting the communication, House Speaker Bhfoal Chambers in an angry tune said that those that continue to commit heinous crimes such as violent rape against women, babies, girls and children must be made to account for their deeds by facing harsh punishment if found guilty.
Rep. Chambers said that the government should institute death penalty law for rapists who find themselves engaged in raping babies, girls and women in Liberia.
Buttressing the Speaking, lawmakers including Representative Thomas Goshua said the House Plenary must not take the issue of rape in the country lightly because innocent girls and children are being victimized as a result of this barbaric act of rape in our country.
For Bomi County District #3 Representative Haja Fata Siryon’s side of the debate in plenary, those who are in the habit of raping babies, girls and children are wicked people who do not have human feelings, especially for the women of Liberia.
Rep. Siryon suggested that the rapists should be castrated, and that they should be amputated with their hands cut to serve as deterrent for other would-be rapists of babies and women in general.
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