The future of any nation rests squarely on the safety, dignity, and protection of its children and youth. When the systems meant to uphold justice appear to bend in favor of the powerful while the weak are left exposed, society is forced to confront an uncomfortable truth: the rule of law is under threat.
Recent actions by the Liberia National Police (LNP) in two high-profile sexual violence cases have ignited national outrage and raised troubling questions about selective justice, institutional bias, and the moral direction of our country.
On Monday, January 12, 2026, the LNP publicly cleared former Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, J. Bryant McGill, of any connection to the widely discussed rape of a 14-year-old girl. This announcement came amid intense public pressure calling for his detention, in line with Liberia’s rape laws, which classify rape as a non-bailable offense. Yet, contrary to established practice, the police declined to arrest or even temporarily detain McGill during the investigation.
For many Liberians, this decision was not just surprising-it was deeply disturbing.
According to police authorities, investigators reviewed GSM call data, site location analysis, independent GPS verification, multiple CCTV footages, and DNA analysis, and found no evidence linking McGill to the crime. While thorough investigations are commendable, the issue is not merely about the final determination of guilt or innocence. Rather, it is about procedure, consistency, and equal application of the law.
In countless past cases, ordinary citizens accused-or even loosely linked-to rape allegations have been detained for months or years, sometimes only to be later acquitted. Why, then, was McGill treated differently?
This concern becomes even more glaring when contrasted with the second case involving Peter Bonor Jallah, Jr., the former Deputy Director of the National Security Agency, who was accused of sodomizing a 15-year-old boy. In that case, police acted swiftly, arresting and charging Jallah based on reasonable suspicion, even without publicly cited DNA evidence at the time of arrest.
The apparent disparity in standards has fueled accusations of selective policing.
Sinoe County Senator and former prosecutor, Cllr. Augustine Chea, has rightly warned that such unequal application of arrest standards threatens the credibility of Liberia’s justice system. When police rely on the absence of DNA evidence to justify non-arrest in one case, yet proceed without it in another, the public is left to wonder whether justice is guided by law or by influence.
Educator Levi Gaye of Margibi County echoed the frustrations of many citizens when he questioned why Bryant McGill appeared “exempted from detention” despite the seriousness of the allegation and the non-bailable nature of rape. His emotional outburst reflects a wider national sentiment: that the system seems harsher on the poor and powerless, and lenient toward the elite.
Such perceptions whether intended or not, erode public trust and send a dangerous message to the nation’s youth- that status can outweigh accountability.
Liberians at home and abroad have since raised their voices, calling on President Joseph Nymah Boakai to safeguard the integrity of his administration and ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done. This is not merely about two individuals; it is about the soul of our justice system and the future we are shaping for our children.
If Liberia is to move forward, the law must stand above personalities, power, and politics. Shielding the powerful today may cost the nation its moral authority tomorrow. That is a price Liberia cannot afford to pay.
