By Jerromie S. Walters
Liberia – September 17, 2025 – The President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, has called for the immediate suspension and criminal prosecution of Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Bryant McGill, who stands accused of the statutory rape of a 14-year-old girl.
In a statement released on her official Facebook page on Wednesday, Senator Lawrence condemned the delays in the case and demanded that the law be applied “impartially without fear or favor.” “It has been over two weeks since an alleged rape case involving the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports was reported,” Lawrence stated. “At this point, the accused, regardless of his public portfolio, must be immediately suspended and placed under police investigation.”
Her comments amplify growing public outrage and align with similar demands from the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL), the Women’s Legislative Caucus of Liberia (WLC), and prominent human rights lawyer Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe.
The alleged assault occurred on the evening of August 30, 2025. According to the official complaint filed by Christopher Davis, the Deputy Chief of Security for Administration at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, his 14-year-old daughter was abused by McGill.
Davis reported that his daughter left their Paynesville home at 5:00 PM to deliver items to her aunt’s canteen located within the Ministry. When she had not returned by 10:00 PM, a frantic search ensued. She was eventually found returning home on a motorcycle. After initial hesitation, the teenager disclosed that she had been assaulted by a man she knew as “Uncle Bryant,” whom she identified as Deputy Minister Bryant McGill.
She reported that he had forced himself on her. Davis alleges that McGill destroyed the victim’s undergarments during the attack. “He even tore her underclothes to have her,” Davis told this paper in a Sunday interview. The case was reported to the Liberia National Police (LNP) that same night. The following day, the survivor underwent a medical examination. Doctors confirmed evidence of sexual assault, and the medical report was promptly handed over to police investigators to safeguard the integrity of the case.
Senator Lawrence confirmed she has been briefed on these developments, stating, “It has also been brought to my attention that the alleged victim has gone through the medical procedures, and results reportedly show that she was sexually tampered with. Highlighting the gravity of the charges, the Senate Pro Tempore emphasized that “rape, especially statutory rape, is a non-bailable offense under our Law.”
She concluded that if the investigation scientifically links the accused to the crime, he “must be immediately processed to court in the interest of justice and fairplay.” The Liberia National Police have yet to announce any arrests or formal charges. Davis says his daughter is now suffering from significant physical and psychological trauma as the nation waits for justice to take its course.
