2
4.
Concerning the specific questions 1 9 in W.S. Wilson's letter I have the following comments :-
(a) Twenty nine cases of girls being abducted or detained for the
purpose of prostitution have been reported during the past 6 months, from August, 1973. It has not been established whether the number of cases is a true increase or appears to be an increase because moré cases are being reported or more cases are being discovered due to increased police attention to this problem.
(b)
It is true that there have been many allegations by a limited number of individuals who have been widely reported in the press that the police are involved in the protection of various illegal activities but the protection of "Brothels and prostitution houses" has not been prominent among such reports.
(c) It is possible for a girl to be murdered in the course of forcing her to be a prostitute. Indeed one other case is being investigated with this as a possibility. However, so far this does not appear to be a strong possibility in this
case.
(d) It is possible for a gang to have killed her and bribed the
investigating team but this is unlikely as the report was made to the highest police authorities and the Director of Criminal Investigation gave orders not only for the enquiry to be con- ducted as a homicide despite the Pathologist's finding but also directed the Police Headquarters Homicide Squad to interest themselves in the enquiry. Indeed the opinion of Forensic Scientists attached to the Criminal Investigation was sought concerning the cause of death and they considered that the death was possibly the result of murder. Finally of course the press were made aware of the discovery and allowed to photograph the body in situ on the beach.
(e)
It is also possible for a man of influence to have killed the girl and exerted pressure on the police to conceal it but again this is unlikely for the reasons already given.
(f) Whether it is a suicide case or a murder case is still to be resolved but it is being treated as a homicide enquiry.
(g) No Coroner's Inquest has been held because we the police have
not concluded their enquiries.
(h)
A Coroner's Inquiry should be held and this is being done with a request for an early hearing.
(i) There appears to have been no concealment of the facts of the
case.
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