Lawmen Condemn Rape of Teenagers.
THE Royal St. Lucia Police Force is recording a 16 percent decrease in all categories of crime for the first quarter of this year as it tries to recoup from public criticism of its inability to curb certain crimes, rape in particular.
The announcement of a decrease in criminal activities for the quarter was made at a police press conference Thursday, in which police broke its silence on the alleged rape of two teenage girls last Friday night, six days after the alleged incident was said to have taken place.
Milton Desir, Assistant Police Commissioner in charge of crime told reporters that investigators are still gathering evidence in that alleged rape, but he was not certain about an imminent arrest.
He said that the police have taken certain measures and strategies that would assist in alleviating such crimes but he could not disclose what those measures and strategies were.
Shortly after Thursday’s press conference the police press relations office issued a statement about the alleged rape of the two girls calling the act barbaric and reprehensible.”
The release stated thus: “In light of the alleged rape of two teenagers at the Derek Walcott Square on Friday, May 6, 2016 the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) highly condemns this inhumane, barbaric and reprehensible act.
The RSLPF will maximize the use of its resources in an effort to swiftly apprehend the alleged perpetrator (s) of this crime and bring them to justice.
It is sad and unacceptable for our young persons to be preyed on whilst they enjoy the ambiance of such a historic national landmark, the Derek Walcott Square. Such alleged acts do no more than bring shame on our law abiding citizens who would in no way condone such criminality.
The RSLPF has taken steps, and will continue to take steps, to ensure the safety of the general public against such heinous acts and other crimes in Saint Lucia,” the statement concluded.
It took a while before police commented on the alleged rape incident and appeared to have done so after a public outcry about their silence on the matter.
But questions are still being asked about the intentions of the four teenagers, two males and two females, in the Square, late night, said to be sitting under a tent when the incident occurred. The girls are said to be 15 years –old and the boys 17 or thereabout.
Reports are that the incident did not take place about 7:30 p.m. as was widely publicized but rather much later.
Now a week after the alleged incident, and after a widely publicized statement from one of the teenagers, it is still unclear what the four of them were doing on the Square at the time.
According to the teenagers, the girls were raped by one of three men who came upon them while they were under the tent. One of the teenage males said he was gun-butted by one of the men who had a gun in his possession. He also said that he and the other teenage male were made to rape the girls as well.
Meanwhile police reported a small degree of success for the first quarter of this year including breakthroughs in some of the incidents that have been occurring in Vieux Fort.
