Officials Under Pressure: House Demands First-Track of 15-Year-Old Minor Sodomy Case

MONROVIA, LIBERIA: The House of Representatives has moved to summon key security and justice authorities to report on the status of the sodomy case of a 15-year-old boy involving a former agent of the National Security Agency (NSA), Peter Jallah.

Officials summoned to appear before the Plenary include Minister of Justice, Oswald Tweh, the National Security Agency Director, Prince Charles Johnson, and deputies, and the Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Gbeme Horace-Kollie. All are scheduled to appear before a joint committee on Gender, Health, Judiciary, and National Security.

The case which is currently in court has triggered widespread public concern, with lawmakers demanding urgent answers and accountability from state institutions.

Plenary is pressing for clarity on the whereabouts of the suspect and the concrete steps taken to ensure swift justice. “This is not just negligence—this is a test of our humanity as a nation,” a lawmaker declared during tense deliberations.

The House's decision follows a communication from Representative Ernest Manseah Sr. of Nimba County District #4, who warned that the case has dragged on for over two months, fueling public anger and deepening distrust in the justice and security institutions.

For his part, Nimba County District #5 Representative Kortor Kwagrue expressed frustration over the reported silence of the case and urged the Legislature to act. “Honorable Speaker, what are we doing in this country that such a thing is going on and we’re ignoring it?”

He added, “Why, if it were a common person who did this to either of these ministers’ children, what would our views be?”

Also reacting to the matter on Thursday, February 19, in session, Grand Gedeh County District #3 Representative Jacob Debee condemned what he described as selective outrage, stating, “If this was going to happen to a female, then by this time all of the females are flagging the issue in the streets with placards—but because it is a male, everyone is silent.”

Meanwhile, the victim remains in critical condition at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, where reports indicate the family has been asked to take the child home due to unpaid medical bills despite his life-threatening condition—further intensifying national concern.

The House has mandated a full investigation with a one-week deadline for a report, stressing that “the protection of children, institutional accountability, and the swift dispensation of justice are non-negotiable,” as lawmakers warn that failure to act decisively could erode public trust and embolden impunity.