MONROVIA, Liberia – Former National Security Agency (NSA) official Peter Bon Jallah has been sentenced to 50 years in prison after Criminal Court ‘E’ Judge Wesseh Alphonsus Wesseh Sr. upheld his conviction for statutory rape involving a 16-year-old boy.
The sentence was handed down on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, following a court ruling that overturned Jallah’s separate conviction for kidnapping on jurisdictional grounds.
Jallah, 63, had earlier been found guilty of statutory rape and kidnapping but acquitted of gang rape following a bench trial.
In a ruling delivered on Monday, November 2, Judge Wesseh set aside the kidnapping conviction, citing a jurisdictional error in the handling of the charge. The court clarified that the decision carried the effect of an acquittal but did not prevent prosecutors from pursuing the kidnapping charge before a court with the appropriate jurisdiction.
The judge also denied the defense’s request for a new trial, concluding that the motion failed to satisfy the legal requirements for reopening a case decided through a bench trial.
Following the announcement of the 50-year prison sentence, Jallah’s legal team disclosed plans to challenge both the conviction and sentence before the Supreme Court of Liberia.
The case generated considerable public attention due to the allegations of sexual abuse involving a minor. During the trial, the prosecution presented 12 witnesses, including the victim, police investigators, medical personnel and a Rwandan forensic examiner.
DNA evidence was among the key pieces of evidence presented by prosecutors in support of their case.
Jallah was arrested in January 2026 after the victim’s mother lodged a formal complaint against him. Throughout the proceedings, he denied the allegations.
With the defense announcing an appeal, the matter is expected to proceed to the Supreme Court, where the conviction and 50-year prison sentence will face further judicial review.
