The Press
January 15 2007
Police stay silent on sexual assault allegations
Police are refusing to
comment on allegations a 10-year-old Zimbabwe girl was sexually assaulted
before she was suffocated.
Charlene Makaza died on January 7 at
Christchurch Hospital after her aunt found her in bed the previous day,
unconscious and suffering breathing difficulties.
Charlene's 12-year-old sister -- who
had also been living with their uncle and aunt in Christchurch -- has since
been taken into Child, Youth and Family (CYF) care.
At the weekend The New Zealand
Herald quoted unnamed sources saying the injuries on Charlene's body were
consistent with a sexual attack.
Homicide investigation head
Detective Inspector Malcolm Johnston said yesterday that he was not prepared to
comment on the allegations.
"We are not going to be drawn
into any injuries or other allegations until we have the final report from the
pathologist."
He hoped that report would be
completed by the end of this week.
A CYF spokeswoman, Lee Harris-Royal,
said Charlene's 12-year-old sister had been taken into CYF care.
"Beyond that I'm not prepared
to say anything else that might colour or affect the police
investigation."
Charlene and her sister moved from
Zimbabwe two years ago to live with their aunt, uncle and two cousins aged 20
and 24 at their Bryndwr home in Christchurch.
Their parents died when the girls were
young.
Police returned the home to the
family on Friday after an extensive scene examination.
They found no evidence of an
intruder having entered the two-storey weatherboard rental house.
Pastor Thomas Gonera
said the family was "holding on well".
The family had limited their contact
with the pastor on advice from their lawyer, he said.
"They are not talking much now
because their lawyer has advised them to be quiet so I just go down to see them
for a prayer and go home. Even the services we were having in the evening have
stopped."
It was customary in their culture to
have services every evening until the dead were buried, Gonera
said.