Sanniquellie — Two men from communities affected by ArcelorMittal Liberia's operations have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, after being convicted of gang-raping a 29-year-old pregnant woman.
The Resident Judge, Musa S. Sidibey, delivering the verdict on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, sentenced Emmanuel F. Saye, 26, and Emmanuel Nyanplue, 20, both residents of Gbapa Town, to life imprisonment.
The men were part of a group of twelve who allegedly raped the woman, who was seven months pregnant at the time and working as a private security officer for Loyal Protective Guard Services (LPGS), a security firm in the area.
According to court records, the two convicted men, along with ten others, attempted to steal fuel from the mountains where ArcelorMittal Liberia operates. It was during this crime that the group encountered the victim and subjected her to a brutal gang rape.
The other ten men remain at large, with many believed to have fled to neighboring countries, including Guinea and Ivory Coast, to escape justice.
The victim's family expressed their gratitude to Judge Sidibey for his fair handling of the case--and praised the court for delivering a ruling free of corruption, citing concerns over the widespread issue of bribery influencing judicial decisions in Liberia.
This case has drawn significant attention due to the severity of the crime and the location of the incident, which occurred near ArcelorMittal's operational facilities.
