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Focus on Police
Competence |
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The government has been extremely
miserly in their offer of compensation to three girls who were jailed for a
crime that they did not commit, spokesperson Brian Robinson says. The justice minister accepted the
girls were innocent, but only offered each girl compensation ranging from
$135,000 to $137,000 (excluding disbursements). These amounts of money are
significantly less than previous awards for wrongful imprisonment.
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Has not explained the basis for their stingy decision in the case of
the three girls. ·
Has been even more miserly in refusing to pay interest on the money
that they have retained since the girls were first offered compensation.
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The trauma that completely innocent people experience when confronted
with a justice system that has made a mistake. ·
The harm that was done to three girls affected in their formative
years by such an experience. ·
The loss of opportunity experienced by the girls who suffered a damaged
education ·
The period of time affected which not only included the seven months
in jail, but also the time from when the girls were accused, and the time
after release, while they were adjusting to freedom. ·
The inevitable loss of friends and damaged relationships experienced
by the girls ·
The real costs that the girls experienced in unnecessarily defending
the charges. The only explanation for the
government's woefully inadequate response appears to be that the claimants
are young, non pakeha, and women. |
