Liberia: Judge Cites Evidence in Finding NSA Staff Peter Bon Jallah Guilty of Statutory Rape, Kidnapping

Criminal Court E Acquits Him of Gang Rape; Orders Pre-Sentence Report Before Sentencing By Gerald C. Koinyeneh Monrovia — Assigned Circuit Judge Wesseh Alphonsus Wesseh Sr. has found 63-year-old Peter Bon Jallah, a staff member of the National Security Agency (NSA), guilty of statutory rape and kidnapping, but not guilty of gang rape in a case involving a 16-year-old boy. In a verdict delivered Friday, October 23, Judge Wesseh said he had reviewed the evidence presented by both parties and considered the arguments advanced during the trial before determining that the prosecution had established sufficient grounds to convict Jallah on two of the three charges. The judge framed his decision around three central questions: whether the prosecution’s evidence justified a conviction for gang rape, statutory rape and kidnapping.

He answered the first question in the negative, acquitting Jallah of gang rape, but answered the other two in the affirmative, finding him guilty of statutory rape and kidnapping. Following the verdict, Judge Wesseh ordered Jallah remanded at Monrovia Central Prison pending the submission of a pre-sentence and behavioral report by the Bureau of Probation Services at the Ministry of Justice. The judge directed the clerk of court to communicate with the probation authorities to ensure that the report is made available as soon as possible to assist the court in determining the appropriate sentence. Judge Identifies Three Decisive Questions In his ruling, Judge Wesseh said the court had examined the facts and circumstances contained in the evidence presented at trial before identifying three issues that were decisive to the case. On the gang rape charge, the judge concluded that the prosecution’s evidence did not provide sufficient and reasonable grounds…