Rape Suspect in Solitary Confinement, Mother Claims

The mother of a 16-year-old Ratanakkiri province boy charged earlier this month for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl claimed yesterday that her son was being locked up in solitary confinement at Ratanakkiri Provincial Prison.

Sen Phally, 45, said she sought help from human rights group Adhoc yesterday in a bid to help free her son, who she claims is innocent.

After failing to locate any prison officials when she attempted to visit her son over the weekend, Ms Phally said a vendor outside the prison had told her that he had been locked up on his own in a dark cell.

“I am seeking assistance from rights group Adhoc to help my child get placed in a proper cell,” she said yesterday.

According to Bokeo district police officer Moul Tin, Ms Phally’s 16-year-old son was arrested on Oct 3 after being caught “raping” a 14-year-old girl at her house in Soeung commune.

“Police made the arrest after receiving the complaint from the parents of the victim,” Mr Tin said, adding that the parents and other relatives had witnessed the incident.

Ratanakkiri Provincial Court clerk Prak Soeurn said yesterday that the suspect was charged on Oct 5 with raping a minor.

“Because there was enough evidence to prove his guilt, the prosecutor pressed for the charge of rape and sent the case to the investigating judge, who decided to place the rape suspect in pre-trial detention,” he said.

Ms Phally, however, rejected the complaint, saying that her son was in love with the 14-year-old girl and that they had been caught having consensual sex.

“The girl was willing to have sex, but her parents wanted to save face and complained to the police,” she said.

Ratanakkiri Provincial Prison director Ngin Nel could not be reached yesterday to answer Ms Phally’s claims that her son was being mistreated in jail.

Chhay Thy, provincial investigator for Adhoc, said the rights group would help Ms Phally gain access to her son and would also lobby the provincial court to investigate the case thoroughly.

 

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