By: Jerromie S. Walters
Larraine Rose Dunn, the ex-wife of Andrew Anderson, the Program Manager of the National Investment Commission of Liberia, appears to be swimming in a pool of joy and excitement as her quest for justice has yielded fruits following the Paynesville City final verdict in her domestic violence case.
According to the court ruling dated January 17, 2023, Andrew Anderson was found guilty of the crime of sample assault for beating Lorraine Dunn and the injury she suffered.
“To which ruling of your honor, one of counsel for the State except in part as to the crime of Domestic Violence, Menacing and Disorderly Conduct as your honor remain mute on these other crimes,” the ruling states.
The Court ordered Andrew Anderson to be imprisoned at the Monrovia Central Prison for not more than 90 days, beginning January 18, 2023, and ending April 18, 2023.
Furthermore, the court ordered Andrew Anderson to reinstate forthwith all medical costs incurred by his ex-wife.
Following the Court’s final verdict, Larraine Rose Dunn, while speaking to this paper, professed her satisfaction in the proceedings, noting that justice was served.
She believes justice was served genuinely, based on the evidence and findings provided by both parties, even though she wasn’t certain about a positive outcome from the onset.
Larraine Rose Dunn attributed her lack of trust and confidence in the court process from the onset of the case to her ex-husband’s ideology and thought that nothing could be done about his awkward attitude.
“To be honest, I was in doubt, and I thought that I would not have gotten justice because we all know how our legal system is because people are influenced by those that are financially potent, so based on that, I was not sure of getting justice, but I’m happy that the guilty verdict came down on my ex-husband yesterday, and I’m satisfied,” Larraine Rose Dunn explained.
She further articulated that her case gave her a vivid understanding that there’s still honesty in the justice system of Liberia and that, despite who you are as an individual, you can get justice.
“To other women out there who feel that they can’t get justice because they don’t have the connection
, finances, or influence, I just want to tell them that they should not stop fighting; one day they will get justice,” she alluded.
Moreover, she applauded everyone who stood with her in the process. “I will like to highly appreciate my two sisters I met on social media, Sister Esther David Yango, the Executive Director of the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSAL), and Sister Laureate Pop Karr of the Nation Civil Society Council of Liberia,” she said.
She further acclaimed the Executive Director of Her Voice Liberia, Cllr. Margaret Nigba, effortlessly led her legal team throughout the process until they conceded victory.
Lorraine Rose Dunn thanked the other lawyers and attorneys that were on her legal team and clarified that she didn’t pay them for their services.
Following the court’s ruling, women’s rights lawyer and feminist Cllr. Margaret M. Nigba has called for the dismissal of Andrew Anderson.
According to her, Andrew Anderson is an abuser, and as such, he can’t be kept as a program manager at the National Investment Commission, which she believes is an intrinsically government entity.
It can be referenced that the October 24, 2022 edition of this paper was alarmed over the consistent physical and verbal abuse exhibited by Larraine Rose Dunn’s ex-husband Andrew Anderson towards her.
In a very deplorable state of health when she contacted this paper, she specifically referenced, among several others, the last incident when she went to pay a visit to her kids at his residence on Duport Road on Thursday, October 20, 2022, and she was unmercifully beaten by him.
As a result of the brutalization and the injury it caused, Larraine Rose Dunn said she had to visit the Good Will clinic in Fiamah Sinkor, where she spent about two (2) nights seeking medical attention.
However, Andrew Anderson denied the allegations when he was contacted by this paper and later held a press conference debunking the report, something that left the public with a huge curiosity about the factuality of Lorraine’s claims.
Howbeit, as she has been engaged in several cases with her ex-husband at the court, Larraine Dunn is expected to return to continue the custody case of their children, as she has not been allowed to see them.
“I’m appealing to everybody to join me in this fight; I need to see my children and I need to communicate with them, and I don’t have access to them, so that’s our next case,” she appealed.
