Im scholar rape case
Moval of documents
can’t find that. They oking to see is who nts and charge them e clear that that sort tolerated,” she told
hat in high-profile ould be given copies nk that is my right... ng yuh know,” she
said she has not out the date for the atter. “I wonder why st to get a date,” she
roek News that the over the file to the Clerk of Courts some time ago and that person is now responsible for contacting Magistrate Alex Moore (who currently presides in Berbice) to set a date for the reopening of the matter at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court. “We have completed our part,” he stressed.
Two weeks ago, he had indicated to this newspaper that the file had been reconstructed and that the police and prosecutor were ready to recommence the matter. The police have no say when the court will hear the matter.
The allegations of abuse first came to light when the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) received an anonymous tip and officials there began an investigation that led them to the boys, who were then between the ages of four and ten.
The police were informed of the situation and after the boys were examined, Ali, who was employed with the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana, was arrested, released on station bail and subsequently charged. Ali was also sent on leave, pending the outcome of the case.
He was committed to stand trial in 2014. Shortly after the committal, his lawyer, Nigel Hughes, filed an action in the High Court to have the committal overturned. However, this was rejected by the court.
It was during a visit to the Supreme Court in January this year that the mother of the three boys and an official from CCPA discovered that the birth certificates and medical reports for the boys were missing from each of the nine files.
The mother and one other parent had publicly expressed their dissatisfaction at how the matter was being handled. The mother had said that she visited the office of several government officials to seek help but was never given a hearing.
She had also said that she and her children were being intimidated as strange men were taking pictures of her boys. On Monday she told this newspaper that this has since stopped and she credited that to this newspaper’s reportage of her plight.