-LNP Seek U.S. Help Before Arresting Deputy Minister McGill
By Jerromie S. Walters
MONROVIA – The Liberia National Police (LNP) faces mounting public and political pressure after announcing it requires international assistance to conduct a DNA test before it can arrest Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Bryant McGill, who is accused of the statutory rape of a 14-year-old girl. The decision has drawn criticism from many who argue it contradicts standard legal procedures for a non-bailable first-degree felony and grants unusual deference to a government official.
At a briefing on Wednesday, LNP Inspector General Gregory Coleman confirmed the gravity of the allegation but defended the need for meticulous, evidence-based investigation. “We are now ordering DNA sampling. Nobody is above the law, but I am asking the public to be patient,” Coleman stated. “There will be a communication sent out to the U.S. Embassy today to help with the foreign DNA testing.”
IG Coleman confirmed that a medical examination showed the minor had “indeed been tampered with.” However, he noted that while the child was violated, investigators had not yet confirmed Deputy Minister McGill’s direct responsibility. “The minister is currently in the building being questioned. While it is true that he has not been arrested, he is undergoing investigation,” Coleman said.
He outlined steps that include seeking a court subpoena for McGill’s call logs for geo-location analysis. “I prefer that we take our time and send a case to court that will lead to successful prosecution, rather than rush with an arrest as people are demanding, and then risk letting the suspect walk free,” he concluded. However, hours after the Police IG comments, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. suspended the Deputy Minister Bryant McGill.
Mounting Evidence and Public Outrage:
This cautious approach comes in contrast to the evidence already gathered and the requirements of Liberian law. A hospital examination of the 14-year-old survivor produced a medical report confirming penetration, a critical element in establishing rape. The survivor has since been placed in a safe home—a step legal practitioners say indicates law enforcement recognizes a grave offense has been committed.
Under Chapter 14 of the New Liberian Penal Code, rape is a first-degree felony when the victim is under 18, carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The law stipulates that such cases are non-billable, meaning suspects are ordinarily subject to immediate pre-trial detention—a standard procedure sidestepped in this case.
The police disclosure comes amid intensified calls for McGill’s immediate arrest. President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, has called for McGill’s immediate suspension and criminal prosecution. Her demand is echoed by 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 allegation:
The alleged rape occurred on the evening of August 30, 2025. According to an 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 assaulted 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 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 stated. The case was reported to the LNP that same night. The following day, the survivor underwent a medical examination that confirmed the assault, with the report being handed over to the police to safeguard the integrity of the case.
