A former member of the People’s National Party (PNP) was arrested for incest in Westmoreland on Monday. Reports say the politician is accused of sexually assaulting his teenage daughter. According to the allegations, the Member of Parliament carried out the assault on January 23, when he was helping a 13-year-old girl with a passport application.
He reportedly carried her to a location to verify photographs and took her to his house in Frome afterwards. Once at his residence, he allegedly had sexual intercourse with the teen. The matter was brought to the attention of the police, and an investigation was conducted, which involved an operation being carried out at the man’s house. He was subsequently taken into custody by the Savanna-la-Mar police.
Reports say the name of the politician has not been disclosed to protect the identity of the child. Following the news of the arrest, the PNP announced in a statement that the politician’s membership with the party was referred to the organisation’s disciplinary process. It added that its thoughts are with the victim and described the matter as “deeply distressing.”
The party vowed to always prioritise children and all those vulnerable, and noted that it took swift action after finding out about the situation. It continued by saying that while it will not speak on the matter given that it is now before the court, it “trusts that the judicial process will be fair, thorough, and expedient.” The PNP also added that a person who would commit such a heinous crime is not welcome in the party.
Meanwhile, the Fi We Children Foundation is pushing back against calls for the identity of a former member of Parliament, recently charged with incest, to be made public, emphasising that the safety of the child at the centre of the case must come first.
The organisation noted that disclosing the accused’s name in situations like these could unintentionally reveal the child’s identity, exposing them to shame and emotional harm.
The group also highlighted what it described as uneven reporting practices, warning that such inconsistencies weaken efforts to properly protect children. It is now appealing to both media practitioners and the wider public to act responsibly by avoiding the release of identifying information, steering clear of sensational coverage, and maintaining a consistent, child-focused approach in all similar cases. organization