House Constitutes Ad-Hoc Committee On Alleged Rape

Deputy House Speaker Hans Barchue has set up a three-man Ad- Hoc Committee to investigate reports that a 15 year-old girl was raped at the Central Police Station on May 2 in Harper, Maryland County. The Ad-Hoc Committee, which is composed of the Chairmen of the House Committees on Gender, National Security and Judiciary, has been mandated to report to Plenary in one week.

Barchue constituted the committee after the reading and discussing of a communication from the Chairman of the House Standing Committee on National Security, Dr. Bhofal Chambers, calling for the appearance of Justice Minister Benedict Sannoh and Police Director Chris Massaquoi to provide detailed information to the House on the report.

Chambers told his colleagues that the alleged rape incident poses security risk to vulnerable teens and needs to be treated swiftly, soberly and with a high degree of prudence.

He added that continued reports of vicious acts involving individuals entrusted with the safety of lives and properties, places a dark shadow on the preparedness of the nation’s security sector to take over the security of the country from UN troops.