Another Lebanese booked for sexual offense

The Liberia National Police has charged 31-year-old Lebanese national, Joseph Chourity, with sexual assault. According to police charge sheet, the defendant is a manager at the Royal Grand Hotel in Sinkor, Monrovia. 

Police say defendant Chourity sexually assaulted a 29-year-old Liberian girl at the Royal Grand Hotel on 15th Street, Sinkor on January 1, 2016 during New Year’s celebration. Addressing reporters Tuesday, January 5, 2016, at the Liberia National Police Headquarters on Capitol Hill, police spokesman Sam Collins, said bad habits of foreigners, especially Lebanese in the country will not be condoned by the police.

The charge sheet from the police details, “That on 2nd January 2016 at 1525hrs Defendant Joseph Chourity, a Lebanese National and one of the Managers of Royal Grand Hotel situated on the 15th Street, Sinkor, Momrovia, was arrested, informed of his Miranda’s rights, investigated in the presence of his counsels, Cllr. G. Moses Paegar and Golda Bonah Elliott of Sherman and Sherman Law Firm and subsequently charged with the Crime Sexual Assault in violation of section 14.77 of the Revised Penal Code of Liberia; predicated upon the complaint filed” by the victim, said to be a resident of Oldest Congo Town, Paynesville.

Police spokesman Collins said over the last 24 hours, the LNP has been faced with two issues of human rights violations after less than two weeks a 65-year-old Lebanese national was charged and sent to court for allegedly raping an 8-year-old girl in the Monrovia suburb of Old Road.

The police charge sheet on the alleged sexual asset at the Royal Grand Hotel quotes the 29-year-old female Liberian victim as narrating that on Friday, January 1, 2016, she and several of her friends left the “AKA Masquerade Ball” at the Pavilion to continue the New Year’s Festivities at the Royal Grand Hotel.

Police say the victim added that approximately 2:15 A.M., they arrived at the Hotel roof-top to attend a New Year party and they proceeded to take pictures at the bar area of the roof top of the Royal Grand Hotel, and while standing for the picture with friends, she felt a hand go up her dress in between her inner thighs and felt her underwear being pulled down and when she turned around, she saw Defendant Joseph Chourity directly seated behind her.

The victim said she was shocked, humiliated and embarrassed by the alleged act of sexual assault against her, coming from an employee of reputable establishment such as the Royal Grand Hotel.
“During police preliminary investigation conducted with Defendant Joseph Chourity in the presence of his lawyers, Cllr. G. Moses Paegar and Golda Bonah Elliott of Sherman and Sherman Law Firm, he voluntarily admitted touching the victim from her back, but not between her thighs at the roof of the restaurant situated at the 4th floor of the Royal Grand Hotel”, the police charge sheet further reads and adds that the defendant also admitted he was not granted permission by the victim to touch her body when he did the act.

By Lewis S. Teh-Edited by Jonathan Browne