Senior officer probing leak of complainant’s statement

By Anesta Henry 

The Barbados Police Service has launched an intensive investigation into how a
statement given to police of an alleged rape victim’s account was circulated on social media.

Making it clear that he would not release information that would influence any future decision in the matter, Acting Commissioner of Police, Erwin Boyce, told members of the media on Friday during a press conference that a very senior officer has been assigned to look into the matter and report his findings in two weeks.

“I had a conversation with him this morning and I am satisfied that he is making progress. He has to do a lot of probing and he has to be supported by the technical people. So that is the investigation and that is the way we are going at this point in time. It has been assigned to a very senior police officer and I expect the best investigation. I would be disappointed if he cannot measure up to what we expect from him,” Boyce added.

On Monday, Member of Parliament for St Michael North West, Neil Rowe, appeared in the Oistins Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Deidre McKenna on a rape charge. The presiding officer called on the Commissioner of Police to investigate the leaked report.

Magistrate McKenna said the Commissioner of Police should “take note of this and do what he has to do”, but declared that it needs to stop.

Rowe’s lawyer Roger Forde, K.C told the magistrate that the circulation of the police statement could deter victims of crime from reporting such sensitive matters to the police in the future. He said the report was made to the police on September 24 and apparently was copied from the police diary and circulated on the internet.

“I am very concerned that ladies now will have little or no confidence in the police force; that every report you make to the police will be on social media. Those who are responsible should be brought to justice. It’s a very bad thing,” the King’s Counsel said.

Speaking during the press conference at the Police headquarters, Roebuck Street in The City, the Acting Commissioner gave the assurance that the matter would be fully investigated.

“We have launched a very intensive investigation into a social media leak that we believe could have come from the organisation. Because it is an investigation, at this point in time I would not get into the facts of the matter or get into anything that would influence the decision of the Commissioner’s office,” Boyce said. 

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb