MONROVIA — Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice has sentenced five women to 20 years’ imprisonment each after they were unanimously found guilty by a jury in a major child trafficking case.
Presiding over the case, Resident Circuit Judge Roosevelt Willie upheld the jury’s verdict and ordered the immediate enforcement of the sentences.
The convicts—Halimantu Daramy, Grace Sesay, Hawa Kamara, Hearieta Beaye, and Famata Doe—were found guilty of conspiring to traffic children across borders for exploitation.
Court Orders Protection for Rescued Children
In addition to the sentencing, the court issued a series of protective measures for the 14 rescued children linked to the case.
The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection has been mandated to maintain custody of the children in a secure environment, ensuring access to food, shelter, healthcare, and education.
The court further ordered that the biological parents or relatives of the children be identified through DNA testing. Any individual claiming relation must file a formal application, after which the court will supervise the verification process.
Details of the Case
According to evidence presented during the trial, the defendants were involved in multiple trafficking operations.
Prosecution witnesses testified that the group initially trafficked eight children to Mali, where the victims were subjected to exploitation before being rescued and repatriated to Liberia through the intervention of international partners and government agencies.
Despite that incident, the defendants allegedly regrouped and attempted to traffic 14 additional children to Burkina Faso. Authorities intercepted the operation before it could be completed, leading to their arrest and prosecution.
Court Cites Unchallenged Evidence
In delivering the judgment, Judge Willie referenced established Supreme Court opinions, noting that while defendants have the constitutional right not to testify, failure to rebut incriminating evidence may allow jurors to draw reasonable inferences of guilt.
Although the accused provided statements during the investigation, they declined to testify during trial, leaving the prosecution’s case uncontested.
“The testimonies presented by the prosecution remained unchallenged,” the court observed, adding that the jury acted within the law in reaching its verdict.
Immediate Enforcement
The court ordered that the ruling take immediate effect, directing prison authorities to enforce the sentences without delay.
The case marks one of the most significant recent convictions related to child trafficking in Liberia, underscoring the judiciary’s firm stance against crimes involving the exploitation of vulnerable children.
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