MONROVIA — Police in Monrovia are investigating a Pastor in training known as Levite in the Garden of Prayer Church of God for allegedly sodomizing and raping a 12-year-old student in the vicinity of the church compound in the Jamaica Road Community on the Bushrod Island.
Henry Kpalleh, believed to be in his 30s, was arrested by the Liberia National Police on Thursday, December 12, 2024, following a complaint from the victim’s parents who claimed that the health condition of their daughter has been deteriorating rapidly, which prompted their investigation of her
Kpalleh, who is also the dean of students of the Frazer Memorial Institute, allegedly had multiple sexual affairs with the victim, both in her anus and virginal, resulting to serious damages in her rectum and virginal, claimed innocence but is in police custody.
Medical reports indicate that the victim experienced serious lacerations in her virginal and anus which may cause damages to the child and advised that she seeks advanced medical care.
The victim informed her parents that pastor Kpalleh began having sexual intercourse with her since last September and threatened that if she told anyone of their affairs, she would die. “That’s why I was afraid to tell your,” she told her parents after been quizzed many times.
“Every day at recess period, he will tell me to go to his room. Then he will come and do the thing to me,” she said, adding, “Sometimes in my butt. He says when I tell anyone I will die,” the survivor narrated.
For his part, Kpalleh, who is described as one of the Levites in the church, denied all allegations against him, describing the victim as one of stubborn students in the school.
Meanwhile, the family of the victim says that they are constantly been harassed by other family, friends and church members to pardon the pastor.
The victim’s family stressed that the presence of the repented family is embarrassing an already depressed child who is traumatized by their presence.
According to them, the repented family are using profanity against the victim, claiming that their son is innocent, adding that more cases of such have occurred and that the survivor is not the first person to be raped.
They even try attacking the survivor saying that “the girl doesn’t look like someone that was raped maybe she had her boyfriend.”
“Is this the girl they claimed was raped, and she’s walking properly, we will not come back here again, we will visit the herbalist,” they threatened, noting that the medical report which confirmed that the girl was tempered with, was false and misleading.”
Meanwhile, the parents of the survivor have expressed deep frustration with the school’s administration for allegedly siding with the accused and refusing to assist in the ongoing investigation.
The parents accused the administration of remaining silent despite being aware of the accusations.
They claim the school has shown no support for their daughter, who is grappling with the trauma of repeated sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by Kpalleh on the church’s premises.
“We are deeply disappointed in the school. They are supposed to protect children, but instead, they have chosen to stay quiet, as if nothing happened,” said the survivor’s mother.
The father added, “The administration is clearly taking side with the accused. They’ve made no effort to support the investigation or stand by our daughter. This is a betrayal of trust.”
The alleged assaults reportedly took place during school hours in Kpalleh’s private room on the campus, where he worked as a primary teacher and administrator.
Despite these allegations, the school has not issued a public statement or engaged with investigators, according to the parents.
The parents believe the school’s silence is an attempt to shield itself from public backlash and protect its reputation.
The school’s lack of involvement has drawn criticism from child rights advocates and community leaders thereby portraying the silence of the school as deeply troubling.
The alleged lack of cooperation from the school has drawn criticism from child rights advocates and community leaders.
“It is unacceptable for any school to remain silent in such a serious case. Institutions have a duty to protect children and cooperate fully with investigations into allegations of abuse.”
The parents are calling for swift action to ensure justice is served and for educational institutions to prioritize the safety and welfare of their students.
“Our daughter has already been through so much. We demand justice and accountability, not just for her, but to send a message that this kind of behavior cannot be tolerated,” the mother stated.
Meanwhile, members of the perpetrator’s family to trace the survivor and her family are said to be visiting their residence in an attempt to offer an appeal so that the matter is compromised while traumatizing the survivor and her family more on a daily basis.
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