By Augustine B. Kollie
augustinekollie87@yahoo.com
Monrovia,Liberia: A 22 year old man has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for raping his six year old cousin in Sanniquellie, Nimba County.
According to reports, the perpetrator only identified Barlea has been taking care of his cousin prior to him committing the act.
For her part, the victim told residents that Borlea committed the offense when both of them went in the bush in search of mangoes.
According to her, the perpetrator ( Barlea) When asked by her grandmother denied her complain stating that the little girl was saying something stupid and should be warned to desist.
She explained that her grandmother immediately ran to the police station, while 22 year Barlea immediately went under citizen arrest and turned over to police authorities.
Following the situation, family report say the six year old girl constantly urinates and toilets on herself sometimes without knowing, coupled with stomach pain.
Hospitals take full responsibility of providing treatment for those affected by sexual and gender based violence, they are treated and undergo counseling, according to Nimba County Gender Coordinator Yaah Belleh Suah, who is focal point for the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection.
According to Madam Suah, between August to October 2017, 18 cases of sexual and gender based violence case were reported.
However there are major issues confronting the court system, because of the delay in prosecuting perpetrators, especially those involved in rape.
According to the Nimba County Gender Coordinator, a special court in Nimba to deal with only cases related to sexual and gender based violence will help in the fight against SGBV.