MONROVIA, Liberia — A former official of Liberia’s National Security Agency (NSA), Peter Bon Jallah, has reportedly been sentenced to 50 years in prison after being found guilty of statutory rape and kidnapping involving a 16-year-old boy.
The sentence follows a criminal trial before Criminal Court “E” in Monrovia, where Judge Wesseh Alphonsus Wesseh Sr. convicted Jallah on October 23, 2026.
The case, which has drawn public attention because of the age of the victim and Jallah’s former position in the national security establishment, dates back to January 2026.
How the Case Began
The matter came to the attention of the Liberia National Police in January after the mother of the teenager filed a complaint with the Women and Children Protection Section.
Police arrested Jallah on January 7, 2026, following allegations that he had repeatedly sexually abused the minor.
According to the indictment, the teenager had been visiting Jallah’s residence in the Airfield community of Sinkor, where he reportedly performed household duties and errands in exchange for money.
Prosecutors alleged that the sexual abuse began in November 2025 and continued into December of that year.
The indictment further stated that on January 1, 2026, Jallah offered to purchase football boots for the teenager before taking him to a building in the Camp Johnson Road area of Monrovia.
The prosecution alleged that the boy was kept there against his will for three days and sexually abused.
He was reportedly left along 15th Street in Sinkor on January 3, where private security personnel discovered him and contacted his family.
The teenager was subsequently taken to the John F. Kennedy Medical Center for medical examination.
Trial and Conviction
In February 2026, a grand jury returned an indictment against Jallah and two unidentified individuals, charging them with statutory rape, gang rape and kidnapping.
Jallah denied the allegations and entered a not-guilty plea. He also elected to have his case determined by a judge rather than a jury.
Court proceedings experienced several interruptions before resuming in August.
On October 23, Judge Wesseh Alphonsus Wesseh Sr. found Jallah guilty of statutory rape and kidnapping but cleared him of the gang rape charge.
Following the verdict, the court ordered his detention at the Monrovia Central Prison while awaiting sentencing.
His lawyers subsequently filed a motion requesting a new trial in an attempt to overturn the convictions.
However, on November 2, 2026, the court rejected the application, leaving the convictions intact and paving the way for sentencing.
50-Year Prison Sentence
Reports emerging on Tuesday, November 3, confirmed that Jallah had been handed a 50-year prison sentence.
The punishment represents a significant development in a case involving the sexual abuse and kidnapping of a minor by a former member of Liberia’s national security establishment.
The case has renewed public attention on the protection of children, accountability for sexual offences and the responsibility of the justice system to prosecute crimes involving minors.
Further information regarding the court’s complete sentencing ruling and whether the convicted former NSA official intends to appeal remains pending.
