The motorcyclist who allegedly struck down six-year-old Afya Harte on Saturday and fled the scene is expected to appear in the Sparendam Magistrates Court today.
Harte’s relatives said yesterday that the police’s actions subsequent to the arrest of accused were below expectations. They said they were finding it difficult to come to terms with the course of action of the police.
They said an eyewitness who was reluctant to come forward owing to the fact that her brother had been killed after he had testified in court, was persuaded to give a statement on the grounds of anonymity. Instead, when the witness went to the police station, she was taken into a room for a confrontation with the accused.
The police later took the said witness in company of the accused to the location where the accident occurred and further questioned her in front of him.
Faye Harte said she was very upset at the manner in which the police treated the witness who relatives begged to offer a statement. She said the police were aware of the arrangement struck with the witness, but blatantly disregard it.
Afya, along with four others, was standing on the corner of a street in ‘A’ Field Sophia when an allegedly speeding motorcycle hit her down.
The injured child sustained two fractures to one of her legs and one of her hands is also fractured. Some of the child’s teeth are missing, her face remains swollen and she has bruises about her body. She remains in a stable condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
After the accident the motorcyclist fled the scene and when police ranks showed up at his home the next day he again escaped.
He was nevertheless handcuffed and held by residents on Sunday with the help of an ex-police constable until he was transported to the police station.
He is expected to face charges at the Sparandam Magistrate’s Court today.
