The Acting President of the University of Liberia (UL), Dr. Alhassan Conteh has provided clarity on the alleged rape of a 7-year-old girl at the Liberian Embassy in Nigeria while serving as ambassador in that country.
It can be recalled that a Liberian diplomat in Nigeria, Nat Bayjay, revealed that his 7-year-old daughter was allegedly raped on the Embassy’s premises by children of two colleagues of then Ambassador Conteh.
Bayjay alleged that former President George Weah’s administration failed to conduct a full-scale investigation in the matter even though the president declared rape as a national emergency in 2020. Speaking on Sunday, July 15, 2024 in Monrovia, Conteh disclosed that the case was accurately and timely investigated by him and his staff using diplomatic procedures and norms.
According to Conteh, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs later turned the case over to the Ministry of Justice which promptly looked into the matter and referred the case to the Juvenile Court for further investigation.
He indicated that the court took cease of the matter and repeatedly cited the families involved for hearings, but he (Conteh) was told that none of the hearings materialized. Subsequently, he said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs later called the two diplomats involved for reassignment.
“I hope this information clarifies the role and responsibility we took in the matters that affected diplomatic staffs,” he said. However, Dr. Conteh stressed that verification of information is good for a country’s growth, development and progress, and Liberia is no excuse.
The acting UL president called on members of the media to take personal responsibility to seek accurate information and avoid harmful speculations.
