By: Ben TC Brooks |River Gee Correspondent
Greenville, Sinoe County | April 1, 2026 | The Third Judicial Circuit Court in Sinoe County has sentenced a 32-year-old man, Prince Deyowon, to 30 years’ imprisonment for the rape of a four-year-old child.
The ruling was handed down on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, by Resident Circuit Judge Wesseh Alphonsus Wesseh following a bench trial that lasted approximately three weeks.
The crime occurred on the evening of August 23, 2025, in Dortroken, Jaedae district, Sinoe County.
According to court records, the defendant was indicted during the August 2025 term of court for sexually assaulting the minor inside a tent.
At the time of the incident, the child’s mother had briefly left her daughter in the care of the defendant, along with two other children, while she attended to a customer nearby.
Upon returning, the mother later noticed unusual behavior from her child, who subsequently revealed the assault.
A closer examination showed that the child was bleeding, prompting the mother to report the matter to the town chief.
The defendant fled the area but was arrested the following day, August 24, 2025, in the town of Fortiagbo after local authorities circulated information about the alleged crime.
Due to logistical delays, the child was taken to Francis J. Grant Hospital in Greenville on September 8, 2025.
Medical personnel confirmed serious injuries, including a ruptured hymen, as well as bruising, tenderness, and redness along the vaginal wall. The child was also treated for malaria and low blood count.
When arraigned on March 4, 2026, the defendant pleaded not guilty and waived his right to a jury trial, opting instead for a bench trial.
Given the victim’s young age, the court conducted a competency test in line with established legal precedent.
Judge Wesseh ruled that the child was not fit to testify, emphasizing that competency depends on understanding the nature of an oath rather than age alone.
During the trial, the prosecution relied on testimonies from the child’s mother, medical personnel, and law enforcement officers.
The mother recounted leaving her daughter with the defendant and later discovering her injuries.
The defendant denied the allegations, stating that he was in the area for gold mining activities.
However, he admitted that the child had been left in his care prior to the incident.
In his ruling, Judge Wesseh underscored the importance of circumstantial evidence, noting that crimes such as rape are often committed in secrecy.
He referenced a 2023 Supreme Court opinion, emphasizing that circumstantial evidence can be as compelling as direct evidence when it forms a consistent and convincing chain.
The judge also addressed arguments from the defense, which cited a previous case involving similar charges where the accused was acquitted due to inconsistencies in testimony and lack of forensic evidence.
Judge Wesseh distinguished the current case, stating that the evidence presented was coherent and free of contradictions.
The court classified the offense as first-degree rape, noting that the victim was under 18 years of age while the defendant was an adult.
Under Liberian law, first-degree rape carries a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment.
In determining the sentence, the court considered the defendant’s role as a caretaker at the time of the incident.
Judge Wesseh described this as a serious breach of trust and a failure in the duty of care owed to a vulnerable child, an aggravating factor that justified a harsher penalty.
“The defendant’s actions represent a grave violation of trust and responsibility,” the judge stated.
The court upheld its guilty verdict delivered on March 30, 2026, and ordered that the sentence be served at the National Palace of Corrections in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County.
Judge Wesseh concluded that the judgment would remain in effect unless overturned by a higher court.
