MONROVIA — Criminal Court “E” at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia has sentenced Crawford Tokpah, also identified in court documents as Augustine Tokpa Yah, to 50 years in prison after being convicted of rape.
Judge Wesseh Alphanso Wesseh handed down the sentence on Thursday, September 24, 2026, following a guilty verdict returned by a 12-member trial jury.
The case was prosecuted by Cllr. Isaac L. George Jr. and Atty. Josephine Gross on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. The prosecution argued throughout the trial that the evidence presented clearly established Tokpah’s guilt under Liberia’s amended Rape Law.
On September 14, 2026, after hearing closing arguments from both the prosecution and the defense, the 12-member jury returned a verdict of guilty against the defendant. According to court sources, 11 jurors voted to convict, while one juror abstained.
The prosecution told the court that Tokpah had intentionally lured the victim into his room under the pretext of watching movies while her mother was away from the house. Prosecutors said the defendant exploited the fact that he and the victim resided in the same house in the Mamba Point community of Monrovia.
Cllr. George Jr. and Atty. Gross argued that Tokpah’s actions violated Chapter 14.70(b) of the amended Rape Law of Liberia, which criminalizes sexual intercourse with a minor. They also referenced statements allegedly made by the defendant during police investigation, in which he reportedly admitted to having sexual intercourse with the victim on multiple occasions between 2023 and 2024.
As part of its evidence, the prosecution introduced a medical report from the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital dated May 7, 2024, which was admitted into evidence and reviewed by the jury.
The defense team, made up of public defenders, urged the jury not to rely on assumptions, emotions, or hearsay. They maintained that the burden of proof rested entirely on the prosecution to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, as required by law.
The defense argued that the prosecution had not met that threshold and asked the jury to return a not guilty verdict.
After considering the jury’s verdict and the gravity of the offense, Judge Wesseh Alphanso Wesseh sentenced Tokpah to 50 years imprisonment at the Monrovia Central Prison.
The sentence is in line with Liberia’s amended rape law, which provides for lengthy prison terms for statutory rape convictions.
The ruling brings to an end months of trial proceedings at Criminal Court “E”, which handles sexual offense cases.
Advocates against sexual and gender-based violence have welcomed the sentence, describing it as a strong message that rape will not go unpunished in Liberia.