Cops say Penan rape cases foiled by lack of evidence

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — The police said today that investigations into the alleged of Penan girls and women in rural Sarawak had been hampered by a lack of cooperation from witnesses and victims.

Federal CID director Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Mohd Zinin said today that a special task force had been formed in January this year and had visited nine Penan settlements in Sarawak to interview witnesses.

“The task force faced numerous obstacles and hurdles investigating these cases, especially non cooperation by the alleged victims and witnesses,” he said in a media statement today.

Mohd Bakri was commenting on a report in The Star newspaper today which quoted a report by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry as confirming the consistent pattern of rape and sexual abuse by timer company workers on Penan women.

The report documented at least eight cases of rape and molest. - + selanjutnya

Cops say Penan rape cases foiled by lack of evidence