MONROVIA, Montserrado – A day after they were incarcerated for flogging a female student at their Soltiamon Christian School System, the principal and the dean of student affairs have both been released from pre-detention at the Monrovia Central Prison.
On Tuesday, Judge Christian Peabody of the Monrovia City Court had issued a writ of arrest for Principal Solomon Juah and his son, Dean Solomon Juah, Jr. for aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy.
The arrest came after Abel Williams complained that Juah, Jr. flogged his 16-year-old daughter for being out of the classroom without having an excuse. According to the writ of arrest, the younger Juah intentionally beat, whipped, and inflicted wounds on the body and butt of Williams’ daughter on May 20. The writ further said Juah, Sr. ignored the action of his son.
FrontPage Africa had earlier reported on June 26 that the victim had gone home in tears on the day of the incident and explained to her father how the dean gave her 130 lashes for leaving her classroom to take a sanitary pad from her friend in another class during a free hour.
The report said the student’s explanation to the co-defendant did not resonate with Juah, Jr., who requested to see the sanitary pad. The victim’s refusal to present the pad led to her flogging, as Juah, Jr. said the student had violated the school’s regulation by leaving her classroom without an excuse pass.
The report sparked anger from members of the public, who called for action against the school.
On July 1, the Ministry of Education ordered Juah, Jr. to be removed from all instructional activities, as his action violated the ministry’s policy against corporal punishment. The school was also fined L$35,000 (US$175) and ordered to refund the cost of medical treatment incurred by the parents of the victim.
Both defendants were released on Wednesday after their lawyer filed a US$10,000 criminal appearance bond through the Sky International Insurance Company. They are later expected to appear before Criminal court C to respond to their charges.
Featured photo by Zeze Ballah
