The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said both a 14-year-old girl and 52-year-old patient have denied an alleged incident at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

A janitor at PMH made a report with the allegation, the minister said, and police were involved.

However, while he gave these details, Mr Munroe said Deputy Commissioner Clayton Fernander would be addressing the matter, as he only received one briefing of what is alleged to have happened. 

“The précis I got was that the young girl, again I think she might have been 14. (The) mother took her to the hospital. Made a complaint to the police with a view to say that her daughter may have been engaging in sexual relations with her boyfriend,” he told reporters.

 “Whether it’s voluntarily or not, that’s a crime and so the police took her to the hospital for checking. She was tested positive for COVID. She was detained for COVID and during the course of that detention a janitor at the hospital made a report about her and a 52-year-old patient. The young child was discharged.

“The report was made to police and they investigated. The child denies what the janitor reports and the gentleman denies what the janitor reports and the police continue to investigate.”

While the Public Hospitals Authority and the hospital have acknowledged an alleged incident involving the minor, which occurred on Friday, there was no mention made of what was alleged to have taken place.

There were some reports on social media that claimed the assault was of a sexual nature. However, Mr Munroe previously told The Tribune yesterday that he was informed that what actually happened did not align with reports.

“The Deputy Commissioner (Clayton Fernander) was to speak to it,” the minister said on Sunday. “They are investigating it. I’ve seen reports. He indicated to me that it’s not necessarily inline with what is reported and you can get the actual details from him.”

Meanwhile, the minister was asked about any reports of a shooting on Monday at PMH.

The Freetown MP answered: “I have not. That has not come to my attention. They send them enroute. I haven’t read that. I read about somebody being shot while driving himself, being driven to PMH.”