The Minister of Status of Women and Women’s Rights (MCFDF), Pedrica Saint-Jean, has ‘strongly condemn’ the rape of a 16-year-old girl, who had been detained at the Saint-Marc police station by an officer of the Haitian National Police (PNH) assigned to that station.
Saint-Jean said she wanted to strongly condemn ‘this extremely serious act’ since it was committed by a public official entrusted with the duty to protect and serve.
She is urging the relevant authorities, particularly the PNH and the Ministry of Justice, to take all necessary administrative and legal measures without delay to ensure that the perpetrator is punished in accordance with the Decree of July 6, 2005, concerning sexual assault.
In a statement, the Ministry of Women’s Rights and Family Affairs (MCFDF) said as the central body responsible for promoting and defending women’s rights, it ‘cannot tolerate such actions and calls for the mobilization of all institutional and organizational actors to ensure that justice is served for the victim in accordance with the laws of the Republic’.
In a statement on Sunday, the PNH announced that it is ‘actively searching for the police officer accused of raping the 16-year-old in July this year.
‘At the request of the Saint-Marc Police Station and the Office of Citizen Protection, the PNH intends to bring him before the investigating judge,’ the statement said.
It said the Inspector General’s Office has been notified, and has ordered the immediate arrest of the officer and that a warrant has been issued to facilitate the arrest of the police officer.
‘The High Command of the Haitian National Police (PNH) reaffirms its zero tolerance for any breach of ethics or the law. The institution assures the public of its full cooperation with the justice system to establish accountability and ensure the application of the law.’