Latest update April 24th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 03, 2016 News
Three soldiers stationed at Lethem are breathing a slight sigh of relief after a Guyana Defence Force Board of Investigation found no evidence to support the allegations of rape.
The ranks were accused of raping a 16-year-old girl at Lethem, Central Rupununi two weeks ago.
The GDF’s finding comes at a time when the police are still seeking the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
A statement from the GDF indicated that following the allegations, which were made at the Lethem Police Station, a Board of Investigation (BOI) was deployed to Lethem on Thursday, February 18 to investigate the allegations made against the members of the GDF stationed at Camp Kanuku, Lethem.
“The BOI found no evidence to support that the allegations of rape occurred. However, the BOI was able to conclude that there were several breaches to the GDF’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), as well as verify that some of the ranks under investigation physically assaulted a female in the vicinity of the Republic Bank, Lethem,” the GDF statement said.
According to the GDF, the Chief of Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips has since instructed that corrective action be taken against the ranks involved, and that the operational posture of the ranks based at Camp Kanuku be redefined, so as to ensure that the cordial and harmonious relations with the residents of Lethem is maintained.
Last week Thursday, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed that the file in relation to the matter has been returned by the DPP to the Guyana Police Force for further investigations to be conducted. Kaieteur News understands that once this is done, the file will be sent back to the DPP so that legal advice on the matter can be sought.
As of now, the three Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ranks are on station bail.
Two Fridays ago, the 16-year-old and her relatives turned up at the Lethem Police Station and made a report that she had been raped by three soldiers. Upon receiving this report, the men were immediately arrested. Statements were taken from the ranks and the alleged victim, after which the file was sent to the Crime Chief and then forwarded to the DPP.
In the statement, the teenager claimed that the three soldiers picked her up from a popular drinking spot at Lethem and took her at the back of the Army Camp where one of the ranks choked her. She then claimed that she was “blacked out” and when she regained consciousness, her pants and underwear were removed and the men had vanished from the location. She later identified the rank who choked her, along with his two colleagues who took her to the desolate area.
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