STABROEK NEWS, OCTOBER 2 --- The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) this afternoon said that the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has recalled the file from the police pertaining to the case of rape alleged by a Mahdia hotel worker last month.
Great consternation had been expressed following a decision where the police were preparing to institute only an assault charge based on the DPP’s advice rather than a sexual assault charge.
The GHRA says the DPP’s decision was based on the provision of photos of the rape complainant and other information. The GHRA welcomed the DPP’s move.
The GHRA statement issued on the matter follows:

The initial police reaction to the allegations made by a young Amerindian woman in Madhia was to set aside the sexual assault aspects and focus solely on physical assault. This was reflected in the editorial in today’s SN (02/10), which stated that “ the police had already sent the file to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and had been advised that one man be charged with assault causing actual bodily harm. Whether that person has since been charged is not known at this time.”

While that position was accurate up to last week-end, in light of further statements and photos being provided to her office the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has re-called the police file.

The Guyana Human Rights association (GHRA) is encouraged by the swift action taken by the Director of Public Prosecutions to broaden the investigation into the full allegations made by young Madhia woman.

Several useful lessons may be drawn from this development:

i. Even ‘though medical examinations may be delayed by police or medical personnel, this is not an absolute barrier to sexual assault charges being brought. There is no statute of limitations on sexual assault cases.

ii. Unwillingness by the investigating ranks and recommendations on lesser charges can be countered by tendering evidence gathered independently directly to the Office of the DPP.

Such evidence (in the form of statements, photos, etcetera) is likely to be taken more seriously if it is restricted to facts, and nouns (let the reader add the adjectives), shorn of political or other bias and signed by the submitting individual or organization.

Moreover, in light of three almost identical cases in the past week (Madhia, Matthews Ridge and Essequibo) in which sexual assaults have reportedly been reduced to physical assaults by local police ranks, the GHRA is encouraging relatives, friends and solidarity organizations to seek ways to circumvent lack of cooperation from police or medical personnel.