SHILLONG, JUNE 29: Unhappy for shabbily handling her rape case by the Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP), a rape victim on Wednesday wanted the state government to replace him even as she requested that the authority must appoint APPs fighting cases with credible and good reputations.
In her letter to the Secretary of the State Law department, the victim who has taken a relative to court for raping her 13 years ago, have requested to appoint a dedicated APP to handle her case so she gets justice.
She also wants the state law department to appoint ‘good and dedicated’ APPs for all the rape victims to ensure that they get justice from the court.
She informed that her case has been shifted to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Court. But, she complained, “However the APP in my case has not protected my interest at all.”
The victim was raped by her cousin’s husband Joken Kharsati when she was just seven years in 2003.
Interestingly, she informed that when she was made a witness in another rape case where they victim was a minor in Mawryngkneng, few years back, she was taken aback that the defence counsel in this particular case cross examining her was none other than her APP.
She was of the opinion that the APP role as defence counsel and also as prosecution lawyer can be termed as a ‘conflict of interest which is against the ethics of the legal fraternity.’ She felt this is also one of the reasons her APP never instill confidence in her but, on the contrary, injected a shades of doubts if he will be able to delivery justice in her case.-By Our Reporter
Just to correct a bit the APP here in this case is a Woman.