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Crime & PunishmentGeneralLiberia news

Two Liberian officials sentenced to 9 years each in Korea

A Korean court in Busan, South Korea has sentenced two Liberian officials, Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the IMO Mr. Moses Owen Browne and Mr. Daniel Tarr (Director of the Department of Marine Environmental Protection), to 9 years in prison each.

The court handed down the decision on Wednesday, April 5, following a guilty verdict on the charges of rape, the Liberian Maritime Authority (LiMA) announced here on Wednesday following court proceedings in Bussan earlier in the day.

The two were reportedly arrested on allegation of rape by South Korean authorities on Thursday 23 September 2022, while attending the International Maritime Organization (IMO) GHG SMART Practical Training and Study Visit (September 19-23, 2022) when this alleged incident occurred.

Video images emerging from a South Korean network at the time of their arrest show the two men allegedly resisting arrest while being locked up in their hotel room.

In a release issued on Wednesday, LiMA said it had been informed by Pureum Law Office, the Korean law firm hired by the Government of Liberia to represent Browne and Tarr in their sexual assault case, that the men were found guilty of sexual assault on Wednesday at the hour of 2:00 p.m. (Korean Time), at the scheduled Verdict Hearing.

“Following this conviction, the Court in Busan has consequently sentenced both Messrs. Moses Owen Browne and Daniel Tarr to serve prison terms of nine (9) years each,” LiMA release said.

It further that the Liberian Government through LiMA, the Ministry of Foreign, Affairs and the Ministry of Justice, has instructed its legal representation in Korea, Pureum Law Office, to furnish it with the various Appeal Options available to a criminal defendant under Korean Laws.

It noted notwithstanding, it has been established that any appeal from such a verdict has to be exercised no later than seven (7) days following the rendition of the judgment.

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LiMA said it will provide further information to the public once a decision is made regarding the issue of appeal.

It said the Families of Messrs. Browne and Tarr have since been informed of the Korean Court’s Decision in this matter.

It explained that the Liberian Government intends to facilitate the visit to Busan, Korea, of at least one member of each family to ensure, inter alia, that contact between Messrs. Browne and Tarr and their respective families is maintained in the aftermath of the sentence.

LiMA said the Government of Liberia shall continue to remain engaged with the Government of Korea through official diplomatic channels to explore any and all options which may be available to both Browne and Tarr.

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2 Comments

  1. If it was in Liberia, they would have gotten away with it just like they get away with raping children in Liberia, so lawless. I am glad I live in America 🙏🏽🙏🏽

  2. It is so good that this didn’t take place in Liberia, for by now Mr. Brown and Mr. Tarr had been outside on another level of they are lying the them.. God be God

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