By Jessica Cox
Monrovia, The Government of Liberia has reiterated its adherence to due process in the wake of public calls for the immediate arrest of Deputy Minister J. Bryant McGill, who has been accused of raping a 14-year-old girl.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) regular press briefing, Deputy Minister for Press and Public Affairs Daniel Sando stressed that the rule of law must guide the ongoing investigation and that no one would be covered from accountability.
“The system, the processes laid out in our criminal justice system should be followed and will be followed, and no one with culpability will be spared,” Sando said. He cautioned against political interference, warning that calls for presidential orders to the police set a “dangerous precedent” and undermine the integrity of the justice system.
Sando emphasized that the government maintains a zero-tolerance stance on rape and other atrocious crimes, but insisted that the police investigation into the allegations against Deputy Minister McGill must run its full course. “We disagree with the counselor on his demand that the President should get a telephone and instruct the police to arrest an alleged perpetrator,” he added.
The government’s response came after former Solicitor General Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe, a veteran criminal law professor, publicly demanded McGill’s arrest. Gongloe argued that the accused should not be allowed to walk freely while ordinary citizens face immediate detention for similar allegations.
“I am angry this morning to hear that the Deputy Minister accused of raping a 14-year-old girl is walking freely. He should be in police custody. We cannot have selective justice,” Gongloesaid.
Citing Article 11(c) of the Liberian Constitution, which guarantees equal protection under the law, Gongloe maintained that high officials must be treated like any other suspect. He recalled ordering the arrest of former Senator Roland Kahn during his tenure as Solicitor General, despite the lawmaker’s position.
“The whole country is watching. There is no justification for this man being free right now,” Gongloe concluded, urging President Joseph Boakai, civil society, and the police to act swiftly in order to restore public trust in law enforcement.
It can be recalled, since the alleged raped case involving Deputy Minister for Youth Development at the Ministry of Youth and Sports sparked out on September 11, 2025, there has been mixed reactions about the delay in arresting the perpetrator, especially with the Liberia National police (LNP) admitting of receiving the complaint in late August.
These exchanges have drawn national attention, as citizens and advocacy groups closely monitor how the police and justice system handle the allegations against Deputy Minister McGill.
