-He Enjoys His Freedom Amid Rape Allegation
By Jerromie S. Walters
MONROVIA – Many Liberians, including legal experts, advocates, and citizens are demanding answers from the Liberia National Police (LNP) over the conspicuous lack of an arrest in a high-profile rape case involving Deputy Minister for Youth Development, Bryant McGill, despite what they argue is a clear legal mandate for his immediate detention.
McGill stands accused of raping the 14-year-old daughter of a ministry colleague on August 30, 2025. The allegation, a first-degree felony under Liberian law that is explicitly non-bailable, has sparked public outrage and raised serious questions about whether political connections can influence the application of justice.
The case against McGill is not without evidence. The survivor was examined at a hospital, and a medical report confirmed penetration, a key element in establishing the crime of rape. Furthermore, the survivor has been placed in a safe home—a step legal practitioners say is a significant indicator to the police that a serious crime occurred.
“Once the alleged survivor is in the safe home, that establishes that rape occurred so he should be in jail. Even if the case goes to court, the accused is supposed to be in jail. That’s why it is a non-bailable offense,” a legal practitioner told WomenVoices on Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case.
Their argument is grounded in Chapter 14 of the New Liberian Penal Code, which categorizes rape as a first-degree felony—carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment—when the victim is under 18. The law stipulates it must be treated as a capital offense for bail purposes, meaning pre-trial detention is the standard.
A Departure from Standard Procedure:
This standard procedure appears to have been bypassed in McGill’s case. While the LNP’s Women and Children Protection Section confirmed in a video briefing that the accused had made himself available for questioning, this stands in stark contrast to the norm. In typical rape cases, suspects are arrested and imprisoned pending investigation and court proceedings.
When contacted for comment on McGill’s status, the LNP Spokesperson Cecelia Clark referred inquiries to the LNP’s Facebook page. The page’s latest updates confirm the survivor is in protective care but remain silent on the whereabouts or status of the accused perpetrator.
Calls Intensify for McGill’s Arrest:
Mounting public outrage is pressuring Liberian authorities to arrest Bryant McGill. Like many other women’s rights advocates, Ms. Vickjune Wutoh detailed the case, stating the assaults occurred on two separate occasions, the first of which resulted in the survivor bleeding.
“Imagine from August 30 till now? The only reason he’s walking free and texting me is because he’s a government official and a member of the ruling party—nothing else,” Wutoh wrote.
She directly countered potential defenses, asserting, “There’s no plot twist to this story… The government hospital test results are clear.” Medical evidence, she claims, confirms the survivor was a virgin prior to the alleged assaults, identifying McGill as the perpetrator.
Advocates argue it exemplifies a justice system that chronically bends in favor of the powerful at the expense of ordinary citizens.
“For too long in Liberia, we’ve seen justice bend in favor of ‘big people,’” Wutoh stated. “But this case should be a turning point… If McGill will not be arrested, then you should just release all the rapists sitting in South Beach prison, because the law shouldn’t apply to some and not to others.”
The criticism extends beyond the individual case to a system perceived as offering protection to those with political or religious connections. “No wonder our society is this gullible,” the advocate continued, “because someone would just join a political party… so that when they commit crime they can be treated nicely and protected by the same system that should be persecuting them.”
“We respect the rule of law, and that’s why we’ve been patient enough to follow due process instead of taking matters into our own hands,” Wutoh said. “But let me be very clear—if the police keep hiding behind their usual ‘investigation is ongoing’ excuse to delay McGill’s arrest, we, the citizens have the right, the power, and the ability to arrest him ourselves.”
On Thursday Deputy Minister for Youth Development J. Bryant McGill took a leave of absence from his post at the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The move comes amid an ongoing investigation into allegations of misconduct.
The alleged rape:
The accusation was first brought by Christopher Davis, the Deputy Chief of Security for Administration at the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Davis alleges that McGill raped his 14-year-old daughter, an assault he reported to the LNP on the night of the incident.
According to Davis, he survivor is suffering from significant physical and psychological trauma following an alleged rape. He said the assailant (McGill) destroyed her undergarments during the assault. The incident occurred on the evening of August 30. The survivor, who lives with her aunt, had left her Paynesville home at 5:00 PM to deliver items to her aunt’s canteen at the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
When she had not returned by 10:00 PM, her father and aunt launched a search. They eventually found her returning home on a motorcycle, which she had taken from the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex. After initial hesitation, the survivor disclosed that she had been assaulted by a man she identified as “Uncle Bryant,” later confirmed to be Bryant McGill, the Deputy Minister for Youth Development. She reported that he had forced himself on her. Her father, Davis, stated that he saw physical evidence of the assault. The case was reported to the Zone 8 Police Depot that same night.
The following day, the survivor was taken to a hospital for a medical examination. Doctors confirmed evidence of sexual assault but, following protocol, provided the medical report directly to the police instead of the family to prevent potential compromise of the case. The survivor and her relatives were questioned at the Liberia National Police headquarters, and the investigation is reportedly proceeding from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, though the family awaits further official updates.
