By Vaye Abel Lepolu
Monrovia, September 19, 2025 — The Women’s Presidium of the Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) has condemned the Unity Party government’s suspension of Deputy Youth and Sports Minister J. Bryant McGill, describing it as a “placatory and hollow gesture,” and has demanded his immediate arrest within 72 hours.
In a strongly worded statement issued in Monrovia, the group said the suspension falls short of delivering justice in a case involving allegations that the deputy minister raped a 14-year-old girl.
“The suspension of a suspected rapist cannot and must not be mistaken for justice,” the statement noted. “Suspension is a political gimmick; arrest and prosecution are the only acceptable steps”, she said.
The SUP Women’s Presidium Chairperson Ms Bendu Karama accused President Joseph Boakai’s administration of relying on “toothless suspensions” to pacify public anger while avoiding accountability. The group also criticized Inspector General of Police Gregory Coleman for what it described as selective enforcement of the law, pointing out that ordinary citizens face swift punishment for lesser offenses while politically connected figures are shielded.
Issuing a 72-hour ultimatum, the women’s wing of SUP called on the Liberia National Police to arrest Mr. McGill or face mass action from women’s groups. “If the state refuses to protect the vulnerable, the people will rise to defend justice,” the group warned.
In addition, SUP Bendu Karama called for a speedy, impartial, and independent investigation into the matter, free from political interference, stressing that justice must be made tangible to the victim, her family, and the public.
The statement concluded by expressing solidarity with the victim and her family, pledging that the party will continue to serve as a “moral compass” in the fight against impunity and injustice in Liberia.
