PETALING JAYA: The police officers who were in charge of the Miri central police station lock-up when a 16-year-old detainee was raped by a fellow detainee on Jan 9 must be held equally accountable as the suspect himself and charged in court, say DAP women leaders.
Responding to the Department of Integrity and Compliance Standards’ (JIPS) decision to take disciplinary action against 11 senior and junior officers over the rape case, DAP Women says there must be penal consequences for these officers.
“It is simply insufficient, in these circumstances, that only the perpetrator is charged under the Penal Code.
“If there was any basis to discipline these 11, it must be the case that they did indeed play a role and there must be no cover-up about what their roles were.
“It is unacceptable that police officers who are supposed to be on duty, fail to carry out their duties, resulting in heinous crimes, in this case, rape, of those in their custody and care, and get away with administrative sanctions such as demotions or even sacking.
“There must be penal consequences,” Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto and Legal Bureau Chief for DAP Women Sangeet Kaur Deo said in a statement.
Yesterday, JIPS reported that disciplinary action had been meted out in the form of demotion and sacking of 11 police officers, for their failure and negligence in carrying out their duties.
Kasthuri and Sangeet said the responsible police officers should not be let off lightly, saying that the victim was under their lawful custody.
“Her safety and well-being were solely in the hands of the police officers on duty that night.”
Apart from the 11 officers, another two were charged with criminal action under the Child Act 2001, with both of them pleading not guilty.
Similarly, the rape suspect has also retracted his guilty plea.
“If the rapist is not found guilty of rape, will there still be a charge against the two policemen for their negligence?” they said.
.jpg)
