AG called in as parents bar rape victim from court testimony

THE TRIAL of a 17-year-old boy believed to have raped a girl of 12 when he was aged 14 was yesterday postponed after the girl’s parents refused to allow their daughter to testify against the defendant.

The matter will now be examined by the Attorney-general.

According to legal sources, the girl’s parents refused to allow their daughter to appear in court because of the emotional and psychological stress that she has endured from her ordeal.

Yesterday, State Prosecutor Eleni Theodotou triggered an angry response from Judge Alexandros Panayiotou when she informed the judge that the parents were refusing to allow their daughter to testify in court because psychologists treating the girl fear it will heap enormous stress on her.

The judge is understood to have told the prosecutor that either the girl testified or he would drop the case as he could not properly examine the facts of the case without hearing the girl’s testimony. The case is being held behind closed doors.

The Judge has now postponed the trial until next month after the girl’s parents requested to seek the legal advice of Attorney-general Petros Klerides on how best to proceed.

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