Neighbor on trial for sexually assaulting fifth-grade girl, leading to her suicide.
After being repeatedly abused, K.'s family filed a complaint, but the authorities were slow to take action against Huu Be. K. then committed suicide by taking poison and left a suicide note.
Ms. Huu Thi Loi, mother of baby K., stands beside her daughter's ashes, which are placed in a temple for the poor in the village - Photo: UYEN TRINH
On the morning of January 18th, the People's Court of Ca Mau province began the trial of the child molestation case against defendant Huu Be (58 years old, Thoi Binh district, Ca Mau province).The trial is scheduled to last two days, January 18 and 19.
According to the indictment of the People's Procuratorate of Ca Mau province, from mid-June to September 2016, Huu Be took advantage of the innocence and lack of understanding of HMK (born in 2004, a 5th-grade student, the child of the defendant Be's neighbor) to lure her, make phone calls, write letters arranging meetings, and give her money in order to commit acts of sexual abuse against her.
After being sexually abused multiple times, on the afternoon of February 10, 2017, the family discovered that K. had attempted suicide by taking pills. Although she was rushed to the hospital, K. died the following day.
The indictment states that Huu Be committed the crime eight times.committed acts of sexual abuse against child K.
"Be committed acts of sexual abuse against child K. when she was under 13 years old. Therefore, the aforementioned actions of Huu Be constitute the crime of child sexual abuse, in the case of committing the crime multiple times," the indictment stated.
The indictment also stated that regarding the forensic examination conclusion that K.'s hymen was torn, K. also testified that she was raped.
However, based on the documents and evidence collected by the investigating agency, there was insufficient basis to prosecute Huu Be for the crime of child rape, so the investigating agency separated the case for further investigation and processing.
The decision to separate the criminal case was signed by Colonel Ngo Tan Quoc (Deputy Head of the Criminal Investigation Agency of Ca Mau Provincial Police) on November 17, 2017, and forwarded to the Provincial People's Procuracy.
As previously reported, this case has attracted significant public attention because the victim's family is outraged that K. committed suicide, yet the authorities have been slow to address Huu Be's actions.
After learning about the incident, in August 2016, Ms. Huu Thi Loi (K.'s mother) and K. repeatedly filed complaints against Mr. Huu Be (a neighbor) for sexually assaulting K.
On September 30, 2016, Ms. Loi received notification of the forensic examination conclusion stating that the child's hymen was torn, but the Police Investigation Agency decided not to prosecute the case because "there was only K.'s testimony, and no other documents or evidence proving that Mr. Be committed child rape and child molestation."
On February 10, 2017, K. took poison to commit suicide, leaving behind a suicide note.
Ms. Loi took her petition to various authorities throughout Ca Mau province and Ho Chi Minh City, seeking help.
Ms. Huu Thi Loi in the early days of carrying petitions to seek help everywhere after the death of her daughter - Photo: UYEN TRINH
In March 2017, the Investigative Police Agency announced that it had revoked the decision not to initiate criminal proceedings and issued a decision to initiate criminal proceedings to investigate Mr. Huu Be for two charges: child rape and child molestation.
In September 2017, the People's Procuratorate of Ca Mau province approved the indictment and temporary detention of Huu Be for investigation into acts of sexual abuse against children.
In November 2017, the Ministry of Public Security decided to dismiss Lieutenant Colonel Tran Hong Loc from his position as deputy head of the investigation agency – the person who signed the decision not to prosecute the criminal case in September 2016 – and to dismiss Lieutenant Colonel Do Tan Dat from his position as team leader and mid-level investigator.
These two investigators also received a Party disciplinary warning and were transferred to other positions.
Earlier, the Head of the Government Office also signed a document conveying the Prime Minister's directive requesting the Ministry of Public Security and the People's Committee of Ca Mau province to instruct relevant forces to urgently investigate and strictly handle this case in accordance with the law.
At the same time, the responsibility of the Ca Mau Provincial Police in the investigation process and the decision not to initiate criminal proceedings should be considered.