Former Minister of Local Government Nigel Dharamlall has denied allegations of sexual assault and rape made during a press conference yesterday by former employee of his ministry, Sarah Hakh.
In a statement issued to the press following the public allegations, Dharamlall said that he has always maintained a cordial relationship with Hakh, but that her demeanour changed after he rebuffed her advances and rejected her attempts to engage in an intimate relationship.
The former Minister further accused Hakh of launching a campaign to tarnish his reputation through social media, leaks to the traditional media, and a “whisper campaign”, and questioned what had reignited her attempts to harm his reputation, particularly at this time.
Dharamlall noted that he has instructed his attorneys to review Hakh’s statements with a view to taking legal action against her and others involved in spreading falsehoods.
“I have known Ms. Hakh personally for several years and have always maintained a most civil and cordial relationship with her, including socializing on many occasions. Her demeanour towards me changed fundamentally after I rebuffed her advances and spurned her attempts to engage in an intimate relationship. Thereafter, Ms. Hakh embarked on a campaign to malign and tarnish my reputation. This was manifested through several fake profiles on social media, surreptitious leaks of information to the traditional media and a whisper campaign to anyone willing to listen,” his statement read.
Yesterday afternoon, Hakh invited members of the media to listen as she read from a statement in which she alleged that she was raped twice by the minister, in two separate incidents. According to Hakh, the first incident occurred in September 2020, when she was invited to meet with Dharamlall at his residence to discuss a job opportunity. Breaking down in tears during her recounting, the woman said that during the meeting, the Minister pulled her into a room, became aggressive, and sexually assaulted her.
“I don’t know why we diverted… and at this point he grabs my body and tries to kiss me on the mouth, pulling himself onto me. I immediately turn away and persistently said that nothing can happen because I’m fully into women and this is not something I came here expecting to do and can’t offer anything. He doesn’t say anything but proceeds to… sexualize me”, she alleged.
“I excused myself to go into the self-contained bathroom trying to figure out how to get out of the situation since I was here for business and didn’t intend on leaving without ascertaining what we had agreed to discuss. After two minutes, I exit the bathroom and Dharamlall is on the bed laying on his back with his genitals out. I’m shocked, stunned, and immediately tell him to put his clothes on and not to expose himself to me,” she said.
She then recounted events leading to the alleged rape.
During her recount, Hakh noted that the only conversation akin to business talk was when Dharamlall related to her that her father had inform-ed him that she shouldn’t get the job because he felt she was entitled and tended to misbehave.
“He abruptly asked me if I’m entitled because according to him, my father told him, I shouldn’t get the position because I act as though I’m entitled and that I misbehave. He laughs at these comments, and I find it very off-putting and out of context”.
The woman alleged that the second incident occurred in 2021, while she made contact with the Ministry about non-payment of her contract during her stint working there. She said that in this scenario, she was invited to meet with Dharamlall again at his then residence.
Hakh then related the details of the alleged second instance of rape
Further, in her statement Hakh accused Dharamlall of cyberbullying and making homophobic remarks on social media, which she claimed were intended to intimidate and silence her.
The complainant stated that she was shocked and devastated by the incidents, and that she felt compelled to report them to the authorities. She explained that her initial attempt to file a report at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were unsuccessful as she was told that they do not take such reports. She noted that she was eventually able to make a report last month at the Cove and John police station.
When Stabroek News attempted to ask at the said police station about the report, no one was able to confirm.
Statute
When asked by members of the media about her decision to come forth at this time to make public her accusations, Hakh had this to say:
“Why is there no statute of limitations on sexual abuse? Why is it that when someone gets raped 50 years ago, there is no statute of limitations? This thing happened to me four years ago… I get nightmares about this thing. Trauma is something that is so bizarre. Things that never used to affect me when it happened started to affect me later on in life. I started to get nightmares. I have PTSD (Post Trauma Stress Syndrome) because of this. This thing started to haunt me when I tried to let it go. And I had no faith in the police… and then the victim shaming thing happened unprovoked, that completely threw me off. And that is when I started to get really depressed, really angry. The rage. What I thought left suddenly came back like it was like it never left. And it was four years ago… Do you know what that did to my psyche?… I’ve attempted suicide so many times. I’ve been seeing shrinks. I decided to try to forgive, but there are some things only God can forgive. I know that for sure because I cannot let this go…”
In the first quarter of last year, similar accusations arose against Dharamlall by a 16-year-old indigenous female. After some time the complainant decided not to press charges. Dharamlall then resigned from his post and from Parliament. There had been concerns that the complaint of this 16-year-old had not been properly and expeditiously handled by the police and the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Last Sunday, the PPP announced that Dharamlall had been elected as part of the central committee of the party. He had placed sixth on the list.
