MONROVIA – Cllr. Augustine Chea, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, sharply criticized the Liberia National Police (LNP) over what he described as inconsistent enforcement of the law in recent sexual-offense cases. Chea specifically questioned the basis for the arrest and detention of dismissed Deputy NSA Director Peter Bonor Jallah, Jr. while raising concerns about the treatment of suspended Deputy Youth and Sports Minister J. Bryant McGill.
“So, on what DNA or forensic evidence did the police base their arrest, detention, and referral to court of sodomy suspect Peter Bonor Jallah, Jr.?” Chea asked in a statement. He described the situation as raising questions about “arbitrary selective policing.”
Chea underscored that the rule of law requires consistent and impartial enforcement of legal standards. “When law enforcement authorities apply different evidentiary thresholds to similar criminal allegations, the legitimacy of the justice system is compromised,” he said.
According to Chea, two recent sexual-offense cases illustrate troubling inconsistencies. The first case involved Deputy Minister J. Bryant McGill, who was accused of raping a 16-year-old girl. Police reportedly declined to arrest McGill, citing the absence of DNA evidence. The second case involved Peter Bonor Jallah, Jr., accused of sodomizing a 15-year-old boy, and the police arrested and detained him despite the absence of DNA or forensic proof.
“This inconsistency is an abuse of discretion,” Chea said. He emphasized that Liberian criminal law does not require DNA evidence as a precondition for arrest. “Under the Criminal Procedure Law, the police are empowered to arrest a suspect where there is reasonable suspicion that an offence has been committed,” he noted.
Chea explained that the legal threshold for arrest is distinct from the higher standard of proof required at trial. “Victim statements, witness accounts, medical reports, and surrounding circumstances may lawfully form the basis for reasonable suspicion or probable cause,” he said. “DNA evidence, though valuable, is not a statutory requirement at the arrest stage.”
He warned that the selective reliance on DNA evidence in some cases, but not others, raises serious concerns about the arbitrary exercise of police discretion. “Such inconsistency violates Article 11(c) of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law, and Article 20(a), which protects the right to personal liberty and due process,” Chea said.
While acknowledging that the police correctly arrested and charged Peter Bonor Jallah, Jr. with aggravated involuntary sodomy based on probable cause rather than DNA evidence, Chea questioned why McGill was not treated under the same standards.
“And what is even more troubling and disheartening,” Chea said, “is that the police have today cleared Deputy Minister J. Bryant McGill of the rape allegation, raising serious questions about how this determination was reached.”
Chea argued that treating DNA evidence as indispensable in some cases but optional in others undermines the principle of equal treatment before the law. “It weakens confidence in the justice system and risks creating public perception of favoritism or bias,” he said.
He clarified that the issue is not whether DNA evidence should be pursued. “It should be collected wherever possible,” Chea stated. “The issue is whether police actions are guided by law rather than discretion applied unevenly.”
Chea stressed that consistent or uniform application of arrest standards is essential to maintaining public trust. “Justice must never be arbitrary or selective,” he said.
The Senate Judiciary Committee Chair urged law enforcement authorities to ensure that legal procedures are applied equally to all suspects, regardless of their status or position.
“For the Liberian people and the rule of law, J. Bryant McGill is still a rape suspect!” Chea declared, emphasizing that public confidence in law enforcement depends on fairness and impartiality.
Chea concluded by calling on the Liberia National Police to review its practices in handling sexual-offense cases. “The public deserves transparency and accountability, and selective application of the law must end,” he said, reiterating the Senate’s commitment to uphold constitutional protections for all citizens.
