One of the policemen accused of rape by one of the females recently rescued from a human trafficking operation in Region Seven has been released from police custody after it was discovered that he was not present at the time of the alleged incident.
This is according to Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, who said that a second rank is under open arrest in connection with the rape allegation.
The allegations against the lawmen surfaced after five females aged 26, 20, 18, 16, and 14 years old, were removed from the 14 Miles backdam, in Region Seven, by members of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) on Saturday. Upon arrival at the Bartica Police Station, one of the police officers accused of rape which occurred at the Sherima Police Station was pointed out by a female and following a confrontation with the victim he was placed under close arrest. The second policeman, this newspaper had been told, was summoned to the station and he was also placed under close arrest and they, along with the alleged trafficker (a woman) and the five females were brought to the city on Monday.
The five females have since given statements to the police.
It was Simona Broomes, head of the GWMO and some members of the organisation’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) unit who travelled into the area on Saturday and found the girls after hours of work. The girls indicated that they wanted to leave as they were being held against their will and forced to work as sex workers by the female shop owners, who kept the money paid by the customers.
The alleged trafficker has since been released on bail, Persaud said.
