MONROVIA – Bishop Kortu Brown has called on the Unity Party-led administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to apply the law uniformly in rape cases, warning that selective justice could undermine public confidence in the country’s legal system.
In a statement issued on Saturday, September 29, 2025, in Browerville, the former president of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) said no individual should be shielded from prosecution when accused of rape or other serious crimes. He cautioned that dragging cases or handling them inconsistently sets a troubling precedent that weakens trust in the rule of law.
“If someone is allegedly accused of breaking the law, that person should face the law to clear themselves,” Bishop Brown stressed. “The law should be applied in a uniform way so that it will be easy in the future, instead of the government dragging its feet.”
Brown, who now serves as General Overseer of New Water in the Desert Apostolic Pentecostal Church International, also urged suspended Deputy Youth and Sports Minister for Youth Development, Bryant McGill, to present himself to investigators and clear his name. “Under our law, an accused is not guilty until proven as such,” he said. “I want to encourage suspended Deputy Minister Bryant McGill to take the bold step to face his accuser in court.”
President Boakai suspended McGill on September 17 following allegations that he raped a minor. The suspension came after mounting pressure from civil society and women’s rights groups, who argued that McGill’s earlier voluntary leave of absence was inadequate. “Suspension is the right step, but now justice must follow,” Bishop Brown said. “There is absolutely no one that’s above the law in this country. Shielding alleged rapists sets a bad precedent. If it were your daughter or relative, how would you feel?”
Women’s rights advocates have continued to demand McGill’s arrest and prosecution, describing the case as a crucial test of the administration’s commitment to accountability and its zero-tolerance policy on sexual and gender-based violence.
Bishop Brown also called on President Boakai to appoint a permanent head of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), which is currently managed by an interim team following the dismissal of Director General Anthony K. Souh and two deputies on August 28. He commended the interim team, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitzgerald T. M. Biago, for its efforts despite limited resources but insisted that a permanent structure is urgently needed to strengthen the fight against illicit drugs.
“The danger posed by illicit drugs is serious,” Brown said. “The government must ensure the LDEA has stable and effective leadership.”
The interim team currently reports to the Minister of Justice, who in turn reports directly to the president. President Boakai has yet to announce when a new director will be appointed.
