Details on Charges against Former Ambassador Alexis Rosado
Alexis Rosado
Disgraced senior diplomat Alexis Rosado is once again in the news tonight as more details around the charges of rape and aggravated assault are now being made public. Last Wednesday, the former Ambassador to Belgium was paraded into the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court, charged for two counts of rape and seven counts of aggravated assault, following a report from a woman who alleges that from early as thirteen, she had been assaulted multiple times and raped twice by Rosado. After recording statements, the Belize Police Department, on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution, leveled the charges against Rosado. Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams said that rape is a complex issue – it is difficult to prove and more difficult to disprove, but that determination is up to the court.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“The police had received a complaint from a female who had reported that for a number of years she had been sexually assaulted by the former ambassador and I think on one or two occasions she was raped. We conducted a thorough investigation into the matter and the file was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice and it was last week Wednesday that we received directives from the D.P.P., directing that Mister Rosado be charged for several counts of aggravated assault and I think one count of rape. He has since been arraigned at the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court in respect to those matters and the matter is now before the court for determination. It is not strange for that to occur. It had happened on numerous occasions before and it is a matter for the court to determine whether or not they will believe the virtual complainant. But you have to appreciate the fact that when these things occur, the victim, women for the most part may be reluctant to come forward particularly due to the social statute of a persons. There may also be other facts that may deter a person from coming forward to make a complaint immediately. So it is not unusual for a victim to come forth that late, after having been done something by someone.”
Duane Moody
“And the law provides for that…”
Chester Williams
“Yes, the law does make provisions for that.”
Reporter
“But Commissioner, the child was thirteen at the time. What role did the parents play? I mean, I must…my daughter tell me something as a parent, why wait so long as well to do something?”
Chester Williams
“Perhaps she didn’t report the matter to her parents. So it is something, like I said before, the court will look into in determining whether or not they are going to believe her or going to believe Mister Rosado.”
Reporter
“In terms of the investigation, it wouldn’t just be the complainant’s word, I imagine. There would have to be some sort of physical evidence if possible and other evidence to back up what she’s saying?”
Chester Williams
“Not necessarily. Rape is a complex issue, a complex investigation. As it’s said, allegations are easy to be made, difficult to prove and more difficult to disprove. For the most part, it is her word against his and even though yes, we know that the law has changed where in the past it required that there must be some level of collaboration; that is no more the case. There need not be any collaboration.”
