MARG-BV Demands Justice as Deputy Minister Faces Rape Allegation Involving 14-Year-Old Girl 

By Christian Appleton

Monrovia, Liberia — The Movement Against Rape and Gender-Based Violence (MARG-BV) is demanding action from the Liberian government following serious allegations of rape against Deputy Minister for Youth Development, J. Bryant McGill. According to reports, McGill, a senior official in President Joseph Nyemah Boakai’s administration, is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, who is reportedly the daughter of a staff member at the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The accusation has ignited public outrage and prompted calls for swift justice from women-led advocacy groups and human rights defenders across the country.

In a strong statement released Monday, MARG-BV condemned the government’s perceived inaction, calling the alleged crime “monstrous.” The organization emphasized that under Liberian law, rape is a non-bailable offense and that McGill should have already been arrested to face the full weight of the law.

The group also highlighted the profound and lasting trauma that survivors of sexual violence, especially children, endure. “As mothers, sisters, and a society organization, we too feel the pains and psychological damage that a 14-year-old child has to experience under the weight of such abuse,” the statement said.

MARG-BV is now calling on President Boakai to personally intervene and ensure the case is handled with transparency and urgency. The organization warned that shielding a presidential appointee from justice would erode public trust and undermine the administration’s commitment to protecting its most vulnerable citizens.

“Failure to take immediate and decisive action will leave us with no choice but to organize a mass peaceful assembly to demand the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrator, so that this young girl, who is bleeding in trauma, may find justice,” MARG-BV stated.

The movement reaffirmed its dedication to standing with survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and pledged to pursue accountability through all legal and peaceful means. With public pressure mounting, all eyes are on the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the President to see if concrete steps will be taken in what has become a crucial test of Liberia’s commitment to institutional accountability and the fight against sexual violence.