Embattled lawmaker asks for two weeks

Grand Gedeh County district#2 Representative Morais Waylee, who is facing rape allegation here, has written the House of Representatives, requesting for two weeks to attend the burial of his late brother.

In his communication to Plenary on Tuesday, May 30, 2017 Rep. Waylee asked his colleagues to excuse him from regular session for the two weeks so that he can attend the burial of his late brother Philip Tarlue Benson, who died on Thursday, May 25, in Paynesville City outside Monrovia.

On May 3, 2017 a local daily linked Representative Waylee to allegedly abusing a 13-year-old girl sexually, said to be his foster-daughter, but the lawmaker reportedly denied.

However, the Speaker of the Liberia Children Forum, Miss Satta F. Sheriff, is calling on the Grand Gedeh lawmaker to recuse himself from legislative business in order to exonerate himself from the allegation.

Presenting the petition statement to the Legislature Speaker Sheriff emphasizes that Rep. Waylee must recuse himself, as he’s not above the law.  She continues that for too long the rights of Liberian children’s have been violated therefore, enough is enough, sating “We say gone are those days when children rights were abused, downplayed or disrespected. We have come to demand justice for our precious 13 years old, who was allegedly raped and impregnated by Representative Waylee. What a shame, when lawmakers should be protecting children and the laws, some have decided to become the lawbreakers.’’

The Liberian Children Forum is seriously concerned about mass atrocities committed against children here, and is calling on the government and its partners to act now by ensuring speedy justice for all victims and survivors of rape.

Speaker Sheriff says their attention has been drawn to delay in investigation by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to officially invite FrontPage Africa Newspaper, which broke the story, to provide details.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of the Liberia National Police, Col. Gregory Coleman, is calling on the general public to help the police with any information on the alleged rape case to speed up ongoing investigation. The House of Representatives has granted Rep. Morais Waylee two weeks excuse for the burial of his brother.

By Bridgett Milton-Editing by Jonathan Browne