While one family is satisfied that a known offender has been placed before the courts in relation to the rape of their 14-year-old relative, another is grieving because the man accused of raping their 16-year-old remains free and continues to taunt the child.
On April 15, a 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped in her home town of Tuschen by a 62-year-old shopkeeper, also from Tuschen.
Reports reaching Stabroek News were that on the day in question, the man was seen by neighbours some distance away committing a sexual act with the child in his backyard.
This newspaper was yesterday informed that the matter is currently before the Magistrates Court and on September 10, the man was remanded for two weeks. When he reappeared, he was granted $150,000 bail and was told to return to court on December 3.
According to the victim’s sister, the man attempted to settle the matter privately but her mother would not allow it. “He come by we and offer we money and my mother refuse to settle it like that. If he do it why he plead not guilty then come and beg we fuh settle. It got to settle in court,” the woman stated.
She added that the child is doing fine otherwise, and has been re-enrolled in school.
Meanwhile, the family of a 16-year-old girl, also from Tuschen, has become frustrated because they believe police at the Leonora Station have ended the matter on their own. “To me, the matter done. Every week the police want we go and change statement. I fed up of the police. He [the perpetrator] is a free man and according to him, the matter done too,” the father of the victim told Stabroek News yesterday also.
Reports reaching this newspaper are that on July 14, the underage girl was left alone as was customary while her parents went to work, and a man familiar to her visited the home. It was explained that the man, also of Tuschen, was hired by the girl’s parents to complete grillwork in the home before and on the day of the incident.
The man inquired whether the girl’s father was at home and after being told he was not, he then asked if any other adult was there. After learning that the child was alone, the alleged perpetrator committed the act in the home while making threats that he would kill the girl’s father and sister if she revealed to anyone what he had done. The girl was reportedly raped a second time by the man on August 11, and she subsequently disclosed what had happened, leading to the man being arrested for less than 72 hours after which bail which was set at $50,000. However, this newspaper understands that the man only paid $25,000 bail.
The girl’s father said that he was told by the police some three weeks ago that the matter has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice but he is uncertain of the credibility of the police since so much time has elapsed.
According to the man, given the manner in which the police are conducting the investigation, he is required to go to the station more often than the accused.
The man said immediately after the incident, he had to get a lot of assistance for his daughter who was greatly affected by what was done to her. “When we de carry she to the hospital, the girl like she was tripping out. We thought she was losing it. Now, everywhere I go I got to carry she because I’m scared,” the man said. He explained that he is a vendor at the Parika Market and is now under strain since he has to take his entire family back and forth to his job. The man stated that his daughter did not get the opportunity to write her CXC examination since the incident occurred around the same time, and she has not been well enough to go back to school since then.
“He and his friends troubling every time she pass… she ain’t want to be around anybody or anything like that,” he said, adding that the girl is receiving counselling sessions at least once a week.
“This boy is a known troublemaker. Every wedding house in this village he go he is get beat up,” the girl’s father added.
The man said he is hoping to contact the office of the DPP to inquire about the matter, and if the file has not yet been sent, to make an official report of the incident.
On January 24, a 13-year-old Essequibo girl went missing from her home and was found two weeks later boarding a boat with her kidnapper at the Alfro Alphonso Wharf at Charity.
The man was subsequently arrested and placed before the courts. He was identified as Kishore ‘Blackboy’ Narine, of Riverstown, Essequibo Coast. Stabroek News yesterday made attempts to contact the child’s father for an update on that matter but these proved futile.
