Women’s activist group to petition against alleged rape of teenage girl

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The women’s activist group Women of Esteem will be launching a petition against what it considers a “violation of a minor” and an “exploitation of the legal framework” in Antigua and Barbuda.

A statement from the activist group read: “On October 1st 2018, after two (2) years of awaiting trial before the court, a male police officer (prosecutor) walked free after being accused of the alleged kidnapping and statutory rape of a thirteen (13) year old girl child who is now in the care of the state; even after he violated his bail conditions and visited the girl child at her school.”

This statement makes reference to a recent high court dismissal of alleged rape that had drawn both national conversation and Cabinet discussion.

“The petition seeks a full review of how her case was handled,” said the group’s president Nikki Phoenix.

“This young lady is still a minor. She is under 16. And we’re asking for signatures so that we can take these signatures to the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda for a full review of how her case was handled.”

Last week, Cabinet notes indicated that: “The outcome of the case alarmed many groups and ordinary citizens, several of whom expressed their displeasure. Cabinet agreed that…there likely exists methods by which the law can be strengthened to protect minors unwilling to testify.”

The notes went unto to say that a subcommittee would be established, “To examine further any changes to the law that would cure the deficiency.”

Phoenix said, however, that she and her group will not be waiting on the establishment of this committee, but rather, “we want to start with this case.”

“This child is still hurting. She is still wetting her bed and cutting her hair. The entire nation is in uproar about this and Women of Esteem saw it fit to stand up and speak up and to do something.”

Tomorrow being internationally recognized by the UN as the International Day of the Girl Child, the group has seen fit to launch their petition seeking out over 30,000 signatories to their cause.

“We’re asking that this statement that this young lady made that she had forgiven her accused… We want to make that statement null and void, because she does not have that capacity as a minor.”

The petition launch will be held at the Botanical Gardens tomorrow at 5 pm.

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30 COMMENTS

  1. I say get this child rapist off the streets a 19 year old was sentenced to 25 years for having sex with a 15 year old girl and this man was the prosecutor behind this case and this man is pushing near 60….imagine how corrupt this police force is that this criminal is going back to work as normal how dumb can this get he should have resigned …. but the problem it seems like most of these officers are from st Vincent or grenada so they dont give a tham hearing the acting head of police speak yesterday made me see how and y these officers keep doing all this crime and getting away with it…….antigua in deep problems

    • That is what happen when Antigua have all these non-nationals being head in all it government department/operations.

    • Hahahahaha yeah right. Andrea Hughes is not poltitcally motivated enough to have a big public out cry. Maybe if she was a politican, a big business man daughter or a white American or Englush tourist then she would get justice

    • That will never happen NO PUBLICITY TO GAIN FROM THAT One.
      That was not sensationalized enough to give anyone any PROPS.
      No outrage for ANDREA HUGHES no pitition for ANDREA HUGHES, no experts to speak on her Justice.

      Some use people’s plight to improve their social status. Fire…

  2. The child is now in the care of the state.. Although i think the officer should be prosecuted, the wetting of bed and cutting of hair is not linked to this particular case only.. Anyone ever stop to ask why is she in the care of the state? Where is her biological Father,and why is he where he is? There is lot’s more to this than meets the Eye.TAP LOOK RELEVANCE NIKKI.You not getting none in Antigua..

    • @ nuff Your comment is nonesense regardless of where her parents are she was kinapped and raped. Maybe it needs to happen to you, your daughter, mother, sister or niece for you to understand how serious this offence is. Its not about looking for relevance. Stop it! This man needs to be behind bars hes a criminal….

      • @ Nonsense, did you see him Rape her? Suppose her reason for withdrawing is a case of conscience, just suppose she was lying from the start. Her withdrawing from the case can leave many questions unanswered.You don,t know and i don’t know,the person who knows refuse to continue saying what she knows. Again Nikki nar get no relevance ya.Everything is dam politics for them.

        • @nuff what question is that u got to be his boyfriend or woman texting this shit they have the evidence it is not a case they dont have the evidence it was not just one time man/woman or prosecutor himself so what are u saying jail this man fu lib ,u cant be of dny sound mind protection pedophiles,hey and bare in mind that he help to put way people for the same shit…..And this is the problem i have with some women they will get out a relationship and have small kids and jump in and start dating men not knowing who they bringing to watch their kids

          • I am protecting a pedophile? Yea right.. I dont even know the Police officer involved,i am dealing with the reality.For your information a sworn statement is not evidence.Evidence is either biological or physical or a convincing testimony before a Judge/Jury. As disgusting as the matter is,and i am not saying nothing happened,but without her testimony and the lack of any binding evidence,its a shut case.. As i said before,stranger things happen,just like you think you are sure the man is guilty so i am entitled to say the child could also be lying,by refusing to testify she has left the door open for any sort of suspicion. Dont blame me,blame her Mother.. The court cant charge someone without evidence.A statement is not evidence,what really would you like to see done at this exact moment .Instead of trying to attack politicians ,why not lobby for a change in the laws so that this would not occur again,as it is now,it is what it is.

    • You really missing the point @nuff a child was raped a 13 year old as that by a policethat is close to 60 nothing else matters ,if she father in prison ,crazy house what does any of this have to do with what happened and it was more than once….i hope u dont have kids or a young daughter…it is people like nikki we need in antigua that is helping to protect our little girls from predators like u how can u think so low of the little girl ….as i said before this man needs to be brought to justice,because am waiting on another case like that to see what happens……burn all child molesters

  3. I dont care who gets what level of publicity from this. This “Officer of the court” and “officer of the law” needs to be SEVERELY punished for this atrocity. No mercy need be meted out to grown men who would take advantage of children.
    I will be there to sign that petition.

  4. Addendum. Nonsense,have you ever ask why she is a ward of the state? Sometimes ,its just best to let a sleeping Dog lie.I know if it was my child she would have to testify.No way that i am sure that a grown man raped my 13year old and allow him to get off because she forgives him..

    • Regardless if this child is a rebelious teen or in the care of the state a 60 year old man has no right with a 13 year old child but who feels it knows it member that…

  5. Nuff I agree with you. For all we know this girl is lying and now she will be put under oath she does not want to be exposed. As far as I can see Nicki playing damn poltics as usual.

    • Hope your kids never get rapped life is a karma trust me hope when u get faced with the situation u dont start crying….y do u guys hate nikki and she is a beautiful person but politics have u hating on her because you guys use politics to hate on people and can guarantee u are a alp supporter

        • Give me a damn break what happened to all those other women and grils who have been rape where is the cry for justice for them. What happen to the victims of the “serial rapist” where is the cry for justice for them. As nuff said there is a possibialty that the girl is lying we don’t know cause nobody has seen the so called evidence aganist the man. Nicki playing politics……

        • At least my name is not nuff trying to use big words to sound educated but u a dumb hope when your kids get it you dont come crying karma is real member that officer

          • Jerry,where are the big words according to you i am trying to use.. Care to point them out?So long as i use them correctly anyway,i am not “TRYING” to use them,i “USE” them.. Not my fault if your vocabulary is limited to calling people you dont know Dumb,simply because they differ in an opinion than you.. You are the dumb one my dear.. Take a hike.

    • Mouth open,that’s all i am saying .no one really like what went down,and i could never defend a grown man who mess with a child,but if she accused him then refuse to testify against him and the law has no biological evidence to back it,what else can anyone do. We dont know why she decided not go along and her Mother also,because if that was my child she would find her butt in that courtroom.I am someone who thinks a bit farther than what my eyes can see.People just need to leave the matter alone or them can go find the man and tek Vigilante Justice,i will not be joining in.

  6. We have been here before. Public outrage, because the media only highlight one side of the story and therefore the public runs to judgement.
    I remember 2003 before the general election, the UPP resurfaced a video of a minor who claimed to have had sex with the leader of the ALP the Honorable Lester Bird. Everyone condemned him before hearing his side and before any investigation was done, In the end we all found out it was a setup and the girl fled the country never to return. And the honorable Lester Bird sued for defamation against those responsible and he won his case and many thousands of dollars in cost. Now I’m not saying the same if true here. All I am warning the public for is that they always seem to rush to judgment before they know the facts of any story. Just the other day a man was acquitted because the young lade was not even a minor who he had sex with. But public opinion already had him convicted. The media should be more responsible in their reporting of these crimes. And some of these so called concern groups need to chill out and get legal opinion
    Since when does the government get involved in the judiciary. if you have an issue go to the office of the DPP. They are independent. They do not answer to the politician. So if you want to know how this case was handled ask the DPP. But they want to have this thing be a political issue. And that was clear when the little miss Niki was on our national tv. Don’t know why the hell ABS grant her that stage. And what she had to put in the mix. APUA water situation. What the heck that has to do with the child’s issue.

    • Wadad,i am fully aware of how a child been raped can be affected .I understand way more than you would know,since i have some knowledge of Sociology. Which also makes me understand that a child,or even an adult who accuses multiple persons of the same offense may also be emotionally troubled..I really think my previous comments have been mis-understood . Let me make it a little clearer,if the court has sufficient binding evidence against the man,then by all means the court should go along with prosecuting regardless of what the minor says because it would have already been proven that he committed a criminal offense.I do not want to believe that a Judge has physical or biological evidence against a 40plus adult male who raped a 13year old and let him go free simply because the child said she forgave him,cant see that happening.. It would appear more to be that the only evidence was the young girls statement.Again,i am not handing down a verdict of Innocence on behalf of the man,i am looking only at the Law.A murderer can walk free if evidence is collected in the wrong manner,even it is know that he or she committed the crime.In this case the evidence needed to put the man away may just not be there,because the accuser refuses to give that evidence, for whatever the reasons may be. You dont know and neither do I.It’s now his words against her’s and she refuses to give her words. I listen to the mother of the Child and judgmental is one thing i am not,but as a Woman and a Mother I find it really difficult to swallow her story..

  7. My conclusion is antigua gone a hell in a hand basket wherebad is good and good is bad unbelievable..people backing up criminals i saw this in Jamaica wow sorry for antigua that is y i see stepfathers having sex with the ladies they with daughters and they say nothing that is the type of people on here texting shit @nuff check yourself

  8. Jerry,Again you dont know me.Please stop casting aspersions about what you dont know.. I have nothing to check.,My grown child can make decisions and i did not grow up with a Step father,but with a Father.. Who ever has their Husband,BF,man or whatever they may choose to call them having sex with their daughter and allow it to continue,rest assured there is a Judge bigger than all that they will have to answer to.I will surely not be getting a stroke over anyone’s crude lifestyle they choose to live..Sorry..What the hell is your problem?

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