Teenage “relatives of politician” finally in detention after alleged gang rape of 16 year old girl
Three teenagers, aged 16 to 17, have been ordered into detention by a juvenile court more than five weeks after they allegedly gang raped a female 16 year old friend.
Talk News Online reports that the developments follow the intervention of the head of the Prajuab Khiri Khan provincial police after the mother of the alleged victim complained that nothing was happening.
The boys now in custody are relatives of a local politician, who was not named, according to the report.
The alleged incident occurred on December 1 at a beach in Pak Nam Pran.
The victim and her mother reported it to Pak Nam Pran police on December 2. The victim was tested and her underwear retained for DNA testing.
But the mother since complained that very little happened in investigating the case. The police said “these things take time and because lawyers and care officials needed to be present as those involved were juveniles, it would take even longer”.
Finally the Prajuab Khiri Khan provincial chief stepped in this week taking the investigation out of the hands of local police and giving it to provincial police investigators.
DNA tests were ordered, clothes were examined and the teenagers were charged with gang rape and abduction. The report did not make it clear if the tests had already been done before the chief’s intervention.
The juvenile court has not granted bail and the three sixteen to seventeen year olds are now detained at the Juvenile Observation and Protection Centre. Pol Maj-Gen Surasak Suksawaeng is calling for the case to be transparent and justice to be served, and any police officer found guilty of misconduct in connection with the investigation will be ‘severely punished’.
SOURCE Talk News Online
