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The
Sunday News
April 7, 1996
Police prosecute and ask questions later
by George Balani
Last week I had a go at the police over their obviously inadequate handling
of a couple of murder cases.
At that time, I was unaware of the Hamilton
case of young university student Nick Wills, falsely accused of rape. Another
graphic illustration of the police not doing their job properly.
How can it be that police investigating such a serious allegation didn't
bother to check out such a straightforward thing as Nick's alibi?
How can it be that senior police detectives didn't ask pertinent questions
about the accuser and uncover her many fantasies?
Did it not strike them as odd, that a week after the alleged rape took place,
Wendy was photographed looking very happy in a group photograph which
included her alleged rapist?
Just how obvious does the evidence have to be before it's noted and acted on?
It seems to me that we have a case where the officers on the case decided
what had happened and then worked towards proving the outcome they'd decided
on instead of approaching the whole investigation with an open mind.
Luckily for Nick, his family and lawyer believed in him and invested the cash
and energy needed to save his skin. But what if his parents didn't have the
money to leap to his defence? What would have happened then? Another massive
miscarriage of justice?
I have a hunch that there are many men just like Nick who are presently in
jail for sexual crimes they didn't commit, because the zealotry of the
establishment has swung the pendulum too far.
There was a time when rape victims weren't believed at all. Now it seems
everybody who cries rape is believed and the police investigation is a mere
formality.
Well, it's not good enough. The power and might of the state with its unlimited
financial resources is available to the police to prosecute average New
Zealanders who have to find the money to defend themselves.
Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt?
Justice for all? Garbage. Justice for those who can afford it.
The police need to take a good look at what they're investigating and why.
Lives are being ruined here and it simply isn't good enough.
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