The police today said that there was “insufficient credible evidence” to charge former Minister of Local Government Nigel Dharamlall over a new rape allegation.
The police had been investigating rape allegations by Sarah Hakh who was an employee at the ministry at the time the rape was alleged to have occurred.
After days of silence on the probe, the police today said that on the 23rd May 2024, it received legal advice indicating that there was insufficient evidence to charge Dharamlall in relation to the rape and sexual assault allegations made against him. The legal advice, it said, was based on the fact that there were several inconsistencies and discrepancies in the complainant’s story.
“There were also statements from several independent witnesses that totally contradicted the complainant’s story. These included alibi witnesses who placed Nigel Dharamlall in a different Region on the date that the alleged incident occurred in September 2020.
“Statements also disclosed that Nigel Dharamlall is not the owner of the house where the alleged incident occurred in January 2021 and he has no access to same.
“These disclosures, among others, resulted in there being insufficient credible evidence and no realistic prospect of conviction in these matters.
“In keeping with the Code for Prosecutors, a case which does not pass this evidential stage must not proceed, no matter how serious or sensitive it may be”, the statement from the police said.
The statement did not identify the source of the legal advice.
Last year, Dharamlall was the subject of another rape probe and based on advice from the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions, no charge was brought against him. He subsequently resigned as Minister.
