Dimapur, May 19 (MExN): Sumi Totimi Hoho (STH) leaders today strongly refuted that its leaders are “politically motivated” in pursuing justice for the girl who was allegedly raped in Zunheboto on April 11. The STH asserted that it would pursue the case till justice is delivered.
It may be mentioned here that the STH leaders are reportedly under intense pressure from various quarters in regard to the case. The STH asserted that the April 11 case would be no exception and that they would pursue the case “very strictly” till justice is done.
STH president Vikali S Achumi and the STH Zunheboto unit president K Atoli Sumi, reacted strongly to a recent article in a local daily issued by one ‘Vihoshe Sumi’ of old town Zunheboto. The entire article was categorically termed as being “without any basis”. The STH asserted that it does not belong to any political party and that the hoho is against crime committed against women. The particular article had alleged that the entire rape episode appeared to be “politically motivated and one sided opinion at the behest and in the vested interest of some members of the STH.”
(The two STH leaders said that there is no one by the name Vihoshe Sumi who is capable of writing such press statement as appeared in the local daily).
In fact, saying that the STH was formed after a rape case in 1983 – which was successfully dealt with – the STH leaders said that the hoho, being a women organization is responsible for women rights and crimes against women. They affirmed that the April 11 rape case is being pursued as per the constitution of the Sumi Totimi Hoho in the interest of Sumi women and the public.
STH leaders maintained that the Nagaland Women Commission had constituted an enquiry committee into the rape case and that the committee found lapses on the part of the IO and also the judiciary. Fearing travesty of justice, the committee had even demanded that the case be transferred to a higher court in Kohima, it was informed.
Besides, the STH leaders completely refuted the assertion that the victim was coerced by her aunt in admitting that she was raped – written documents of the confessional statements of the victim to the STH saying that she was raped and also the confessional statement of the accused in the crime to the police was received here. According to the confessional statement of the victim, she was raped by one Tito Kiba. The police charge-sheet, provided to the media by the STH, also established Tito Kiba as the main accused in the rape case “as per his statement, victims statement and the other arrested persons”.
The hoho’s leaders ridiculed the article statement that “the accused and his parents taking responsibility and in all humanity, offered to accept the girl (victim) as the lawful daughter in law”. While saying that they did not “sabotage” this offer; however, the leaders asserted that the victim strongly refused to marry the rapist and that the STH could not simply agree the victim to marry the accused.
“Rape is a crime against women, and we are fighting against this crime against women,” the hoho reiterated. They also denied manipulating the age of the victim as alleged by the said ‘Vihoshe Sumi’. They, however, affirmed that whatever the age might be, no one has the right to rape a girl; whether she is 16 or 80 years-old woman.
In this connection, the STH leaders assured that the Sumi Totimi Hoho would pursue the case till justice is delivered. They also informed that the process of transferring the case to Kohima is under way.
“If the case is not transferred (to a higher court in Kohima), then instead of justice, the people moving for it (pursuing justice) will be in danger,” the two STH leaders asserted. The assertion comes in the backdrop of the inquiry committees set up by the Nagaland Women Commission (NCW) pointing out lapses on the part of the judiciary in granting bail to the main accused and demands that the case should be transferred to a higher court in Kohima.
