Investigators to take additional statement from 9-yr-old rape victim

Nov 14, 2017 News 0

The parents of a nine-year-old child, who was allegedly raped by a minibus driver in her West Bank Demerara (WBD) home on September 21, last, may have to wait a while before they get justice for the little girl.
Yesterday, a source from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) said that the file into the alleged rape of the child has been returned to the police for further investigation. Once the investigation is completed, the file will have to be sent back to the DPP for legal advice.
The source explained that the police ranks have to take additional information from the victim to fill in the missing pieces. Divisional Commander, Leslie James, confirmed late yesterday that the file was returned to the division and there is some specific information that is required.
The victim’s mother has accused the police of moving slowly on the case and while the child has to give additional evidence, her mother has not been contacted as yet.
The victim’s mother recalled that the suspect went to the family’s home on September 21, last, to meet with the child’s grandfather and noticed that the girl was home alone. He allegedly climbed onto the veranda, entered the home and raped the child.
”My brothers and him does drive bus together and when they get problems, he does complain to my father. So on that day, one of my brothers and him got into an argument and he told my brother that he will ‘F** up his family and he left the Number 32 bus park,” the child’s mother alleged.
The woman added that her daughter was sick with the flu and diarrhea and had stayed home from school with her grandfather but the grandfather had to leave home to run an errand.
”My daughter said she heard the guy calling and when she went out he asked where was her grandfather and my daughter informed him that he was not at home so he asked she and who home, and my daughter said she alone, so she went in back the house and continued watching television,” the mother recounted.
She added that her daughter told her that shortly after she went inside, the 34-year-old driver confronted her from the veranda and threatened to kill her if she made any noise.
”She said that the man took off her clothes and raped her on the chair and when the pain became too much, she started crying and he put his hands over her mouth but she managed to bite him and push him off and run and lock herself in the toilet.”
The child’s mother said that the driver, who is a father himself, then banged on the toilet door for the child to come out. After she remained inside, he put on his clothes and left.
”She said she wait a while and then she barely open the door and see him putting on his clothes—a green jersey, black pants, brown boots, blue hat and black shades. He jump down the veranda and walked at the back of the yard,” the mother said.
The woman said that the child’s grandfather arrived shortly after the suspect left and her daughter asked him to call her.
”My daughter called and asked me if I can come home now that something happen, so I left work and went home.”
The woman said that her daughter was so terrified of her attacker that she did not want to tell her what had happened.
”When she told us we went to the station to report the matter and we went for a medical which confirmed that she had been raped.”
Initially, the family had no idea who had raped the child. “Two days after she was raped my father had to cut his hair (at a West Bank Demerara barber shop), so he took her and my brother (who was also there) told her to watch around just in case she sees the person who attacked her.”
The mother said that her daughter spotted her attacker at a bus park, and he was wearing the same attire he was dressed in when the attack occurred.
The child’s relative apprehended the suspect and took him to the Vreed-en Hoop Police Station where he was released on $100,000 bail after two days.