NIMBA COUNTY, Liberia — A 12-member jury failed Wednesday to reach a verdict in the rape trial of 33-year-old Franklin Manteh, splitting 5-7 and forcing the Sexual Offenses Division Court of the 8th Judicial Circuit in Sanniquellie to order a new trial.
Five jurors voted not guilty; seven voted guilty. The jury deliberated for roughly one hour on evidence presented during the 10-day trial, which began September 9. The split fell short of the threshold needed to return a valid verdict.
Because the jury failed to reach the required threshold for a valid verdict, defendant Franklin Manteh’s legal counsel asked the court to formally record the matter as a hung jury and order a new trial.
The Sexual Offenses Division Court subsequently ordered the case returned to the court’s docket for a new trial in accordance with Liberia’s Criminal Procedure Law. The prosecution retains the right to retry Manteh before a newly constituted 12-member jury.
Following the ruling, the court remanded the defendant to the Sanniquellie Central Prison pending further proceedings and the scheduling of a new trial.
The Ministry of Justice indicted defendant Franklin Manteh on the charge of rape, a felony of the first degree, in connection with allegations involving three minor children in Dahnlorpa Community.
According to the indictment, the alleged incidents occurred on March 17 and March 22, 2026, in Sanniquellie City.
The indictment alleges that on March 17, 2026, at approximately 1:45 p.m., Franklin Manteh intentionally and unlawfully sexually abused two of the alleged survivors, identified by their initials as I.T., a 6-year-old, and T.W., a 9-year-old respectively.
It further alleges that defendant Franklin Manteh placed the two children on his lap, offered them a biscuit and sexually penetrated them with his fingers.
The indictment also alleges that a third child victim, identified as S.M., 2 year-four-month-old of Evelyn Saye and Emmanuel Manteh, Sr., was sexually abused while he was bathing the child after toileting on herself on March 22, 2026, in the same community.
According to the prosecution, a preliminary investigation conducted by the Police/WACPS-LNP Sex Crimes Investigation Unit established allegations that Franklin Manteh sexually molested and abused the three children.
During the trial, Manteh categorically denied sexually abusing or molesting the three children.
However, according to the indictment and evidence presented during the proceedings, Franklin Manteh acknowledged coming into contact with the children, but denied having sexual intercourse with them.
A medical report from the Ministry of Health, prepared by the SGBV Unit of G.W. Harley Hospital, was also presented during the proceedings.
According to the report, a physical examination of the alleged survivors’ genital areas documented findings that the examining medical personnel considered relevant to the allegations. The report stated that the vaginal area appeared red rather than its normal pink coloration and indicated that the hymen was absent.
The report further attributed the finding to penetration by fingers. The prosecution may proceed with a retrial before a newly constituted jury, subject to the court’s further proceedings and applicable law.
