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Liberia: Magistrate Linked to Sexual Abuse
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The NEWS (Monrovia)
7 May 2008
Posted to the web 7 May 2008
Monrovia
The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has documented how a Magistrate in Zorzor, Lofa County, sexually abused a woman who was arrested and charged for theft.
The report revealed that the magistrate reportedly coerced the woman into having sexual relations with him in return of her release.
The UNMIL human rights report said the Liberia National Police (LNP) investigated the case and charged the Magistrate with sexual assault and abuse.
According to UNMIL, an attempt was made by the LNP to arrest the magistrate but he escaped.
The report indicated that on 21 August 2007, the case was transferred to the Circuit Court but no writ of arrest was issued against the Magistrate.
Interestingly, in September 2007, the UNMIL report quoted Lofa County Attorney as saying that there was insufficient evidence to indict the Magistrate.
However, by the end of September, the Magistrate had reportedly resumed his official duties.
The case in question grew out of a complaint filed by the woman who informed the LNP that the magistrate allegedly coerced her into having sexual relations with him in return for her release.
The woman was arrested on allegation that she stole a cell-phone for which she was arrested and charged.
However, the UNMIL human rights report did not disclose the identities of the magistrate and the woman who was sexually abused.
Meanwhile, the UN Mission in Liberia has also documented how a prison officer at the Sanniquellie Central Prison, Nimba County, ordered inmates to flog the Sheriff of the LAMCO Magisterial Court.
According to UNMIL's human rights report, the Sheriff escorted detainees from Yekepa to the prison on orders of the Stipendiary Magistrate when he was ordered flogged by the correction officer.
UNMIL, through its Human Rights and Protection Section (HRPS), disclosed that the prison officer also rejected the commitment order because the Sheriff was unable to identify himself.
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UNMIL said the correction officer was intoxicated at the time of the incident.
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