Delayed justice irks alleged Berbice rape victim

Jan 25, 2017 News

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– Police say awaiting DDP’s advice
– DPP says file returned to police two weeks ago

A 24-year-old woman of Crabwood Creek, Berbice, claiming that she has been denied justice for far too long, decided that she wanted to share her story with the public. The woman in question says she has filed multiple reports with police claiming that she has been raped, threatened and more recently had her reputation besmirched by a man sworn to uphold the law of the land – a police rank.
Her aim, however, is not only to fight her own case, but also to encourage other women who have reportedly been similarly treated by the said rank to come forward and speak out too.
According to the woman, who recently visited the Kaieteur News’ Saffon Street, Georgetown office to tell all, “I am tired of living in fear and I’m tired that I can’t get justice and I’m tired of people just protecting this man; he is dangerous and I don’t want anyone else to suffer as I have.”
The woman said that her decision to speak out comes because the alleged perpetrator of the ills against her has even started to threaten to bring harm, not only to her, but to her family as well.
“I really believe he will hurt my family. I am not afraid of him but I am now afraid of what he could do to my family,” the woman related.
Fast forward to two years ago, the woman recalled that, like a typical young girl, she struck up a friendship with a male Facebook friend. She had never met the man, but was intrigued by his words and the fact that he had revealed that he was a police officer.
Many chats later they decided to organise a rendezvous at the Number 63 Beach. It was supposed to be a private meeting, though in a public space, since this was the first time they were meeting. The young lady, however, admitted that she wanted the meeting to be away from her home since she did not want her boyfriend at the time to know of her Facebook friendship.
The ‘Facebook Friend’, according to the young woman, decided to take advantage of the secluded nature of the Beach and decided to entice her to engage in sexual intercourse. The woman said that she rejected the man’s advances and even attempted with all her might to fight him off but she was eventually overpowered.
According to the young woman, she regretted not reporting the incident to police at the time but disclosed that she felt too embarrassed to tell anyone. “I felt ashamed…I feel people would just say I bring it on myself because if I didn’t go and meet him it would have never happened,” the woman said.
The woman said, too, that after the incident the police rank feverishly sought her out in order to convince her that he was a good person and only wanted to have a relationship with her. He eventually succeeded in his persuasion, as according to the woman, she ended the relationship with her boyfriend and the two started dating.
She recalled that her family did not approve of the relationship since there were rumours that the man was married and that he had a reputation of having many extramarital affairs. The woman said that she confronted the man with the allegations at one point of their relationship but was treated with disdain. In fact she said that she was seeking a plausible reason to end the relationship with the man since he was extremely verbally abusive and would inflict physical pain through sexual intercourse.
“He would be nice to me sometimes but if I talk to anyone or anybody even calls my phone he would get mad at me,” recalled the woman who disclosed that it was only after sharing her story with an elder in the community that she realised that she was being repeatedly raped by the man and the matter could be reported to police. She eventually did just that.
But this was not before she attempted to enlighten the man’s wife, who she was able to locate, about the situation. This, however, was a futile mission, as, according to the woman, she was not only attacked but humiliated by the woman.
“She cut my hair off and then she grabbed and pulled me into the street and told the whole community that I was sleeping with her husband,” recounted the emotional woman.
This matter was reported to police. The woman said by this time she had enough courage to report the several instances that the police rank raped her. “There were three particular cases that I gave statements about,” disclosed the woman.
But according to her, while the Commander of the Division instructed that the matter be investigated, a number of ranks, including a female rank, kept confusing the process. The matter was reported at both the Springlands Police station, where the accused police rank is stationed, and at the New Amsterdam Police Station.
“I don’t even know what they did with the first statement I gave because there was this woman police (rank) who kept telling me that I needed to change my statement…she even write what she wanted to write even when I told her something else. It was as if she was trying to protect this man so that nothing comes of the case. I even told them how he threatened me with a gun several times,” speculated the woman.
When this publication reached out to the Officer in Charge of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Springlands Police Station yesterday, the officer disclosed that he was aware of the matter. In fact he disclosed that he was stationed at New Amsterdam too when the matter was reported there and was therefore well aware that the file on the matter was sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
“We have investigated the matter and we are awaiting advice from the DPP…we have to wait on that advice,” the officer informed.
But when contacted yesterday an official at the DPP’s office said that while the file was sent to the DPP’s office it was sent back to police, complete with advice for the matter to be further investigated in order to bring clarity to some aspects of the case.
The file this publication was told was sent back within the past two weeks. Added to this, the official at the DPP’s office said, that Police was instructed that once further investigation is completed the file must be re-sent to the DPP’s office for further advice. This has not yet been returned to the DPP’s office, this publication was told.
“I don’t know if these people don’t believe me or they don’t think I deserve justice, because since last year I reported this matter and this man just threatening me and my family and spreading awful rumours about me in the community and I just have to take it…no one is helping me and this is not fair to me. I made a mistake, but must I suffer for the rest of my life?”

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