Police investigating rape allegation against senior sports official in Berbice

Police in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) were called in to investigate allegations of rape against a senior sports official by a 20-year-old woman.

Based on reports received, the woman – a 10-day part-time worker- was repeatedly sexually abused by the perpetrator since 2023.  According to the victim, she was raped for the first time back in January 2023 when she was invited to the suspect’s office to uplift a food hamper.

She explained that when she arrived, she was made to wait until everyone had left and then she was invited into the office where she was sexually assaulted. “I was so shocked and scared that I didn’t scream,” she told this publication.

Then in March 2023, the victim visited the perpetrator’s office again where she was offered a job to earn $40,000 per month. She was also offered an additional $20,000 monthly to work six days at the sports organisation.

She is now claiming that she never received the additional payment and was frequently being sexually violated. The last time she was molested was in November 2024.

“I was afraid to tell my mother that he does be forcing himself on me because he threatened that if I told anyone, I would lose my 10-day work,” she told this publication.

On the other hand, the victim’s mother related that the official visited her home and complained that her daughter was not being very cooperative and was not pleasant at the office.

This resulted in the victim being scolded but she later confided in a friend who in turn informed the victim’s mother.

“I called him and he came and told me that he was sorry and it would affect him if I take my daughter to the police because he has a wife and children,” the victim’s mother explained.

“He didn’t think of what he was doing to my daughter, just because we poor… How many others he probably did it to? He begged me not to go to the police but I told him I was going to the welfare department first,” the frustrated mother related.

INews understands that an official report was made to the welfare department and the police on Monday. The victim was then taken to the hospital for a medical checkup.

The suspect is yet to be arrested.