Chief of police forces police to arrest a police officer accused of rape and launches investigation into police brutality after reporting by NN fellow Mae Azango and Ichi Vazquez – August 8, 2011

Liberian Police Chief George Bardu has demanded police arrest a policeman who was accused of raping an 11-year-old girl. The move comes a month after NN fellow Mae Azango and CUNY student and NN intern Ichi Vazquez broke the story in FrontPage Africa of a mother who reported the rape of her 11-year-old daughter to police and was then beaten and thrown into jail for 3 days. The story caused an uproar in Liberia. Azango and Vazquez’s follow up reports told of police refusal to arrest the accused rapist and the police chief’s inaction in disciplining the police involved.  The story also prompted an outpouring of support from the Liberian public. The mother and daughter have received support from trauma counselors and help with legal and schooling costs.

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