“Stop Settling Rape Cases or Face Prison” Winpea Warns Community Leaders

Paynesville, Liberia:Montserrado County Women and Children Unit head Gary Winpea has delivered a strong warning to community leaders who settle rape cases outside the formal justice system, saying those found facilitating such settlements could be arrested and sent to prison.

Winpea made the statement during an awareness program organized by the Zone 8 Detachment of the Liberia National Police in the ELWA Community, bringing together community leaders and school-going children to discuss rape, child abuse, sexual and gender-based violence, and human trafficking.

Winpea urged parents and community leaders to immediately report rape cases to the appropriate government authorities instead of negotiating with alleged perpetrators. He said rape is a serious offense and should not be treated as a matter for community settlement.

He also called on families to ensure that rape survivors receive proper medical attention at designated health facilities, including Hope for Women Hospital, the Duport Road Medical Center, and the John F. Kennedy Medical Center. Winpea said rape cases should be taken to the appropriate health facilities for proper medical examination and care.

Winpea further warned community leaders against protecting or negotiating on behalf of alleged perpetrators, saying such actions could amount to facilitating the crime. “If you are caught settling rape cases at the community level, you will be sent to prison,” Winpea warned, adding that it was not the first time community leaders had been imprisoned for facilitating rape cases.

Earlier, Desmond Davis, head of the Women and Children Unit at the Zone 8 Police Station, said sexual and gender-based violence continues to affect communities across Liberia and requires a collective response.

Davis called on law enforcement officers, community leaders, schools, and religious institutions to work together to prevent SGBV and protect women and children. He said the awareness meeting provides an important platform for participants to understand their respective roles in bringing sexual violence to an end.

Meanwhile, Enoch Dumbar, head of the Human Trafficking Unit, cautioned Liberians to be careful about opportunities presented to them, particularly promises that could expose them to human trafficking.

Dumbar said human trafficking has existed for centuries, tracing its roots to the slave trade, but has now taken modern forms under the name human trafficking. He urged parents, community leaders, and young people to remain alert and report suspected trafficking activities to the authorities.

The police awareness campaign is part of efforts to strengthen community involvement in the fight against rape, child abuse, sexual and gender-based violence, and human trafficking, while encouraging residents to report serious offenses to the appropriate authorities rather than resolving them through informal settlements.