-- Forwarded to court for trial
Gbarnga, Bong County- A City Solicitor in Bong County has been charged with rape and forwarded to court for trial after allegations were made by his sixteen-year-old cousin. The police charge sheet states that the judicial actor, Atty Edwin F. Kopoi, allegedly committed the crime in July 2024 in Salala, Bong County.
The survivor reported that her uncle, the suspect, had brought her from Sierra Leone to Liberia in February with promises to care for her and provide education, which were allegedly unfulfilled.
She claimed that incidents of physical abuse, forced nudity during beatings, and coercive sexual activity took place, leading her to seek assistance from community members due to the ongoing abusive behavior.
She told Police investigators that upon their arrival to Monrovia while on their way from Sierra Leone, her uncle had sexual intercourse with her before coming to Salala, Bong County.
The victim noted that suspect Edwin F. Kopoi usually gave her (Cane Juice) alcohol to drink, after which she would not feel normal. That, according to her, is when suspect Edwin F. Kopoi would go into her room to have sex with her. The rape survivor told the Police that suspect Edwin F. Kopoi was always threatening to kill her if she told anyone about the incident, but she informed some community members because she was tired of her Uncle's sexual abuse.
Despite the suspect's admission to physical violence, he denies the accusation of sexual intercourse. The police investigation considered various pieces of evidence, including physical injuries on the victim, witness statements, and pending medical reports.
As a result, the suspect faces charges of Statutory Rape, Simple Assault, and Human Trafficking based on the Revised Human Trafficking Act of 2001. The City Solicitor is currently in custody at the Gbarnga Central Prison awaiting trial, while the survivor is residing in a Safe Home in the county.
The case is set to go through legal proceedings to determine the outcome of the charges.
