The newly launched Sexual Offences Unit of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force will investigate all sex crimes that fall under its remit, including allegations against high-profile persons.
“We investigate every offence. There is no one except diplomats who are immune from prosecution,” acting Commissioner of Police Colin John said at the launch of the unit in Kingstown on Wednesday.
“So once credible information is brought forward, we will deal with it as it comes,” he said.
Meanwhile, John said that where necessary and available, forensics are to be used in sexual offence trials.
“We have a forensic lab albeit with some limited capacity but we also have the privilege of interacting with other regional or even international bodies as regards forensic evidence.”
He said that once the forensic evidence is available and necessary it will be used.
The police chief, who is a lawyer and former prosecutor, said that not all cases will need forensic evidence to secure a conviction.
He said that even where not necessary, forensics might help to strengthen the prosecution’s case, adding that the lack of forensics might not be fatal to the case.
Before the establishment of the Sexual Offences Unit, a victim of a sex crime would go to a police station and a female officer at that station would handle the matter.
“The female may not have been the best trained person to deal with that offence at the time. But what would happen now, let say an offence was committed in Calliaqua, the police in Calliaqua would entertain the initial report and the file would then be sent to a member of the Sexual Offences Unit for them to investigate that matter,” John said.
The eight-member unit will be based at the Questelles Police Station, where the telephone number is +1-784-456-1750.
The commissioner said he couldn’t say if there is any particular case that would occupy the immediate attention of the unit.
“We will have to look at the file and determine that but I can’t state particularly.”
John noted that there are provisions under the witness special measures act where, in sex cases, the accused is not allowed to question the virtual complainant directly but must do so through a lawyer.
If the accused does not have a lawyer, legal aid would be provided to the accused.
Previously, legal aid was reserved for persons accused of capital offences.
John said that while the unit does not include a counsellor, one could be made available when necessary, as is the case currently.
If we really do have a forensic lab then why are we not using it. As usual we probably do not have competent people doing the analysis, or is there the usual “Union Island Soap Powder” presentations occuring? We all know that the police will NEVER go after the powerful party people if a sex crime is committed. Declaring so is nothing but a sad joke.
Not just a “sad joke” but a sick joke also. We are in a land of deplorable untouchables versus powerless expendables with nothing in between.
When will the Cops and other emergency-response authorities get an emergency number where the public can reach them free of charge?
Robertson, to much good evidence sometimes proves a police case wrong, could you imagine that? They would hate it.
Remember the PACE Act was abolished so as the police could get more convictions without being proved wrong in actions and procedures. Whilst just about every country in the World adopted it, SVG under the advice of Ralph Gonsalves, did away with it.
From the state of the faces of most accused when they come from the interview room I would say the they prefer beating admissions from those accused than using forensic evidence.
How many female police officers make up this sex unit? Given how our people can be, it’s essential that we have a high level of professionalism when conducting any sexual allegations.
I have little faith in our police force but this is a good move to have a special unit dealing with sex crimes. Let’s see how many of these hardback men who breeding the 12 year olds, get investigated and jailed. I am not holding my breath.
Hey Colin, how about we start with an investigation of the allegations against you as a matter of full disclosure? How about a release of the full transcript of the text messages between you and your accuser?
I wonder if this means we could go back 10/20 years even, like the bigger countries do? And we won’t have to go too far back to reopen investigations against Ralph […] … and by the way you see that statement “once credible information is brought forward…” ah wonder who would influence that decision as to whether the information is credible enough… remind me, who is the Minister of Legal Affairs again? oh what a facade when they talk about investigating ‘high profile’ cases … that may happen only if the accused is an NDP supporter…Uncompromised Justice in SVG dead long time…
There is no statute of limitation on sex crimes or murder in SVG. So even those sex accusations against him going back 40 years can still be tried on verbal evidence only, no need for forensics or physical evidence.
In fact even those allegations and charges disallowed or thrown out by Colin Williams can still be retried because there has never been a judgment on them.
All that, is why a dynasty has been created and the wish to stay in power forever. Because, once he falls from office he can and most likely will be tried for those offences and he knows that. Hence expect all sorts of dirty tricks to cling to power.
Salvation is for your soul accept Jesus Christ and save your very soul get your name in the lamb book of life secure your eternal life for your soul now please don’t put it off the time is now!!