DPP wants further police probe into alleged rape of teen girl by Minister Dharamlall

Jun 29, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, has returned the police file on the rape allegations against Local Government Minister, Nigel Dharamlall instructing thatranks do further investigations into the matter.

The allegations against Dharamlall were made by a 16-year-old Indigenous girl.

Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum last week said that the file on the alleged rape by the minister was sent to the DPP on June 22, for legal advice. Since then several groups including the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and the Amerindian People’s Association (APA), have protested for a speedy return of the file. In response to the protest mounted, the DPP Chambers in a statement on Tuesday underscored that all case file received are given due legal attention, as the work of the Office is done in an impartial manner.

Accused of rape, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC,

Notably, now that the file has been returned, the police will need to conduct further investigation before the file is returned to the DPP for legal advice. Kaieteur News had reported that in a letter to President Irfaan Ali, the teen girl shared gruesome details about how she was allegedly groomed and later raped by the minister. In her letter, she pleaded with President Ali, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and relevant authorities to look into the matter.

According to the letter seen by this publication, the girl first met the minister at an event last year, when she was 15-years-old. She said she was raped three months after meeting the minister and at that time, she was 16-years-old. She disclosed in the letter that after continuously harassing her to meet up with him, she eventually agreed to meet the minister. The teen said this is when the minister allegedly raped and sodomised her before handing her a sum of money.

Following the official report made to the police by the teen girl in the company of an officer from the Child Care and Protection Agency (CPA), Minister Dharamlall was arrested and subsequently released on $1M bail.

Amid calls and protest by civil society for Dharamlall to be sacked, President Ali announced that the rape accused has proceeded on administrative leave to allow for a full probe into the allegations. Moreover, Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo during a recent interview said that if the rape allegations levelled against Minister Dharamlall are true, the minister would have to face the consequences. Jagdeo also stated that while he hopes the allegations are not true, neither the party nor the government “will put its neck on a block for anyone.” For his part, the president had stated that he spoke to the minister who denied the allegations. However, he said, “no one will be held unaccountable.”

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Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, rape, SC, Shalimar Ali-Hack

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