The persisting behavior of parents and guardians to allow their children to serve as breadwinners has prompted the police to arrest about 15 children for selling in the streets of
Monrovia.
Police Wednesday arraigned the kids at the Monrovia City Court for proper adjudication and charged their parents for endangering their welfare in line with Section 16.4 of the New Penal Code of Liberia.
Monrovia City Court Judge Kennedy Peabody rejected the detention of the children but rather the parents.
Judge Peabody informed the children parents that it was illegal for children to become breadwinners for their families.
"Children selling in the street is against Section 16.4 of the new penal code law of Liberia. You people were in error by allowing the children to sell in the streets, particularly the principle streets of Monrovia. We will not detainee the children because they not are responsible. You parents will be detained," he ordered.
The parents of the 15 children prayed the court to pardon them, attributing it to the hardship in the country especially during this Ebola crisis.
A fine of L$100 were slapped on each parent and paid in government revenue.
This is third time police have arrested children selling in the streets of Monrovia and transferred them at the Monrovia City Court.
On October 21, 2014 the Police Public Safety and Children and Women Protection Division embarked on a month-long awareness exercise in public places, informing parents and guardians about the danger associated with children selling in the streets, particularly the hazard they face among speedy vehicles and sinister gangs.
They were informed that police will be in the streets to take the children off the street and institute the necessary legal provision against people who put these children in the street.