On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, Inspector General of Liberia National Police Gregory Coleman addressed growing public concern over the ongoing investigation into an alleged rape involving Deputy Minister for Youth Development at the Ministry of Youth and Sports J. Bryant McGill.
Stressing the importance of due process, Coleman confirmed that the victim had been tampered with and vowed that the investigation would be both thorough and impartial.
“Yesterday, the entire investigative team went to the scene and reconstructed the crime scene,” IG Coleman stated. “They returned today, and since this morning, we have been doing analysis, going back and forth, and calling the victim back to speak with her. We just picked up new pieces of information from the victim that will require further investigation.”
He confirmed that additional high-ranking government officials, including other deputy ministers, have been summoned for questioning.
The police have petitioned the court for a subpoena of Deputy Minister McGill’s call log to determine his location at the time of the incident.
“That call log is a very important part of the investigation because the geo-location analysis will now point to where he was and whether the allegations can be substantiated,” Coleman said. “We are waiting for this.”
In a significant development, Coleman announced that DNA testing has been ordered and that international assistance is being sought.
A formal communication is expected to be sent to the U.S. Embassy to facilitate foreign DNA analysis.
“We are now ordering DNA sampling. Nobody is above the law,” he said. “But I am asking the public to be patient. I prefer that we take our time and send a case to court that will lead to successful prosecution, rather than rush with an arrest, as people are demanding, and risk letting the suspect walk free.”
Though Deputy Minister McGill has not been arrested, Coleman confirmed that he is currently being questioned at police headquarters.
“The minister is in the building undergoing investigation. While it is true he has not been arrested, the process is ongoing,” he clarified.
The Inspector General’s briefing comes amid intensifying public pressure and scrutiny from both local and international human rights organizations.
Many are watching closely to see how the Liberian justice system handles such a politically sensitive case.
As demands for accountability grow louder, Coleman’s message was unequivocal: justice will not be rushed, but neither will it be denied. “No one is above the law,” he reiterated.
