Africa-Press – Liberia. By: Naneka A. Hoffman
Monrovia, Liberia: October 3, 2025 – Former President of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC), Bishop Kortu Brown, has cautioned the Government of Liberia and the Liberia National Police (LNP) against handling rape cases in a way that could delay justice or create perceptions of shielding certain individuals.
Speaking in an exclusive interview in Brewerville, outside Monrovia, Bishop Brown emphasized that the law must be applied uniformly to all accused persons, regardless of their status. He noted that dragging out such sensitive cases could undermine public trust and make future enforcement more difficult.
“If someone is accused of breaking the law, that person should face the law to clear his name. Shielding alleged rapists is not a good precedent. If it were your daughter or relative, how would you feel?” Bishop Brown asked.
He specifically encouraged suspended Deputy Minister for Youth Development at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Bryant McGill, who has been accused of raping a minor, to turn himself over to authorities for investigation.
“Under our law, an accused is not guilty until proven so. I want to encourage Bryant McGill to take the bold step and face his accuser in court,” Bishop Brown stated.
On September 17, 2025, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. suspended McGill following the allegation, in keeping with the government’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual and gender-based violence. The suspension followed demands from civil society groups, women’s rights activists, and campaigners for stronger action, who argued that McGill’s earlier voluntary leave of absence was insufficient.
While many activists welcomed the President’s suspension of McGill, they continue to call for his arrest and prosecution. “Suspension is the right step, but now justice must follow. Nobody is above the law,” Bishop Brown stressed.
In a related development, Bishop Brown also called on President Boakai to appoint substantive leadership at the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) rather than relying on an interim team. He acknowledged efforts of the current Officer-in-Charge, DCP Fitzgerald Biago, and his team for their performance despite limited resources. Still, he warned that the scale of the country’s drug crisis requires stable leadership.
President Boakai had earlier dismissed former LDEA Director General Anthony K. Souh and two deputies for administrative reasons, naming an interim management team headed by Biago of the Liberia National Police, Ernest Tarpeh of the NSA, and ACP Patrick Kormazu of the LNP.
Bishop Brown urged the President to move swiftly on a permanent appointment, given the danger illicit drugs pose to Liberia’s youth and national security
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