Min. McGill "Gov't to Address Rape Incident at Liberian Embassy in Abuja"

“The Government's own will be last because when I raise the Government’s own, somebody will go below,” he said.  

 

The Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill, has disclosed that the Ministry of Justice and Foreign Affairs have been mandated by President George Weah to publicly address the seven-year-old girl who was sexually abused at the Liberian embassy in Abuja. 

According to him, the alleged rape incident has drawn the attention of President Weah, who has instructed the two ministries to speak on the matter shortly.

“This has drawn the attention of the President. The President doesn't take the issue of rape lightly, so the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Justice will speak to the public very shortly", McGill said.

Weeks ago, the embassy's Minister Counselor for Press and Public Affairs, Mr. Nat Bayjay, revealed that his seven-year old daughter was allegedly sexually abused multiple times by two boys, aged 13 and 16, on the premises of the Liberian mission in Abuja.

"Straight to the point, one of my daughters, aged just 7 at the time, was unfortunately sexually abused over seven months by not one but two different perpetrators. These rapists not once, not twice but multiple times over seven months abused my daughter right on the premises of the Liberian Embassy in Abuja," he told reporters in Monrovia.

According to him, the perpetrators were under the guidance of a colleague diplomat, Mr. Daniel Rogers, the First Secretary also assigned at the Abuja Mission. 

When contacted for a response via Whatsapp to Bayjay's accusation, Daniel Rogers wrote: "As it stands the matter being alluded to is before the court. Therefore, I am not in the position to grant an interview at this stage.” He claimed that Bayjay was being sensational with the matter.  

"I would have thought you would encourage Nat to pursue justice through the legal system rather than resorting to sensationalize or prejudice the case through the media or the court of public opinion which, in my mind, is counterproductive," Rogers added.

Rogers added that he will make his position known officially after the court has decided on the matter.

During the press conference Bayjay disclosed that the case is currently before the Juvenile Court in Monrovia but he is particularly concerned about his daughter's health, which he claims is deteriorating daily and negatively affecting her education.

Bayjay added that while the government has taken steps to forward the matter to court, it has ignored his plea for the past 8 months regarding the responsibility to cater to the child’s well-being while pursuing justice.

He added that during this period, his family has had to single-handedly pay for all medical checkups and post-traumatic and other forms of psychosocial counseling — a service which he believes should have been provided for by the government.

“As medical result reveals, our baby’s sexual torture at the hands of these perpetrators has caused substantial damages to her womanhood which, if not corrected medically at this very moment, would just ruin her future,” the Liberian diplomat said. “And all I have asked from my government is at least some form of attention for this young victim, someone who suffered repeated abuse from these rapists.”

He then called on Vice President Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor and the First Lady, Madam Clar Marie Weah, whom he believes are known as international female advocates as well as the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection to assist in the wellbeing of his daughter. 

“The attention of all-female advocacy groups, including the Association of Female Lawyers Association of Liberia (AFELL) and the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJaL) are also being sought here,” he said.