The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is reminding that serious offences such as sexual offences and other crimes in the Hinterland communities must be dealt with by the Police and not Toshoas and village leaders.
The DPP’s office recently attended that the South Rupununi’s District Council’s Bi-Annual Meeting held at Shulinab in Region 9, where the issue was addressed.
In a statement today, the Office of the DPP said its Communications and Outreach Officer Liz Rahman, who addressed the meeting explained that when a crime is committed, the Toshao has a responsibility to report it to the police, who will launch an investigation. It was explained that a Police file will be compiled and then forwarded to the DPP’s Office for legal advice through the Guyana Police Force’s Law Enforcement Office.
“Yes it is permissible for Toshoas to deal with the less serious offences like Disorderly Behaviors’ and Simple Larceny which maybe offences under the communities’ rule, but you must, by law, report the more serious offences such as Murders, Sexual Offences, Domestic Violence, Causing Death by Dangerous Driving, Consumption of Alcohol and Smoking of illicit Drugs by Underage/School Children and Larceny etc and all other criminal offences to the police,” the release from the DPP Chambers quoted Rahaman as saying.
Rahaman pleaded with the Toshaos to take their responsibility seriously and ensure that criminal activities reported to them by villagers must be forwarded to the Police for action to be taken.
The DPP Office said during a previous Outreach Meeting in early February, some residents of a number of indigenous villages informed the DPP’s Office that they were not aware of how to go about dealing with criminal matters, especially those in relation to Gender Based and Sexual Violence. They reported that most of the issues were reported to the village leaders who would “try to settle” the matter.
Also addressing the meeting on the country’s Sexual Offences, was state Counsel, Muntaz Ali, who explained the importance of credible and consistent evidence, due process, and the collective responsibility to support the legal proceedings in Court.
He explained the elements of Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence and the severity of penalties attached thereto.
“Unlike other crimes in which witnesses maybe present, Sexual Offences are committed in private, so only the victim and perpetrator would know what exactly took place, so the victim has to come to Court and give the evidence,” Ali stated.
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