Girl, 12, ‘kidnapped and gang-raped by 11 men who snatched her from family'

27 September 2023 , 11:53

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The girl was at a family function when she was lured away and raped. File image (Image: Getty Images/500px Plus)

Prosecutors in Bolivia have revealed they are investigating the alleged gang rape of a 12-year-old girl by 11 men.

Three of the suspects have already been arrested and police say they are hunting the other eight. The men are said to have “intercepted” the youngster at a cultural event she was attending with her family and plied her with alcohol before raping her at a “remote spot.”

The horror attack happened in the early hours of Monday in the city of Oruro, which is about halfway between the capital La Paz and Sucre. It lies around 3,700 metres (12,000ft) above sea level and is Bolivia’s fifth-largest city by population.

Bolivia’s state prosecution service said in an overnight statement: “The Departmental Prosecutor of Oruro, Aldo Morales Alconini, reported today that the Public Ministry is investigating an act of aggravated rape committed against an under-age girl aged 12, who was allegedly attacked by 11 individuals.

“So far Víctor Q. R., Víctor H.CH. and Adolfo C.C have been arrested and will be charged in the next few hours. The Prosecutor's Office will also request at a court hearing the preventive detention of the suspects, while police continue to hunt the other individuals."

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Mr Morales added: “Once we became aware of the attack, we began the corresponding investigation covering the victim's psychological report, an identification parade and a forensic medical certificate that demonstrates the existence of the criminal act and helped to identify the first three suspects.

"We are going to continue working in a coordinated manner with the police to find the other people responsible and bring them to justice. The forensic report shows the girl has obvious signs of body violence and abrasions due to friction on her spine.

“We are analysing the information and assistance we are going to need from the Institute of Forensic Investigation and others with the aim of clarifying this incident so it does not go unpunished. We want to make sure those responsible receive a 30-year prison sentence.”

Ronald Vargas, the prosecutor assigned to the case, revealed the alleged gang rape occurred in Oruro around 1am on Monday after the 12-year-old went to a cultural event with her family. The men involved are said to have forced her to consume alcohol before the sex attack. It was not made clear how they had managed to get her away from her family and where exactly the alleged gang rape, which prosecutors said had taken place at at a "remote spot", had occurred.

Natalia Penza