Police slam school, parents for inaction

 SCHOOL authorities and parents will be held responsible if they are found to have colluded to suppress the rape of a female student in a Central school, a senior police officer said.

Central police commander Chief Insp Laimo Asi said the Mt Diamond Adventist Secondary School board of management, students, parents and teachers would be dealt with if investigators found that they had deliberately not reported the  incident of June 9.

It was reported that three females had joined male students in skipping classes and had gone drinking outside the school between 9am and 3pm three weeks ago.

The drunk girl entered the school premises and was caught by security guards. 

The guards notified male students who searched the area and allegedly gang-raped the girl.

They further abused her after raping, it was alleged. 

About 15 male students were involved, police said.

“The thing which I am concerned about is the manner in which the case was handled by the school management and the parents –  not coming forward and reporting the incident as soon as possible,” Asi said

“This is a criminal issue. 

“I was informed by a student who thought what happened was wrong.” Asi commended the student for coming forward with the information. 

“I highly commend that particular student for coming out and giving information.”

Asi was disappointed that the victim’s parents did not report the case either.

“I have instructed my investigators and if I find that teachers and parents have colluded to hide the incident, then I might as well deal with them as parties to the offence,” Asi said.

Police suspect that school teachers and officials had something to hide because none of them approached the police.