Woman gets two years probation for making up story that she was raped
ST ANN, Jamaica – A woman who was charged with creating public mischief after the police said she falsely claimed that she was raped last year, was given two years probation in the St Ann Parish Court last Friday.
The woman’s identity is being withheld due to the nature of the case.
She had pleaded guilty to the charges prior to her sentencing before Senior Parish Court judge Michele Salmon.
Initial reports of the rape of the woman sparked concern and fear among many Jamaicans after details circulated on social media in January 2021.
The woman was also reported missing and found days later, the social media report said at the time.
But after the police conducted a probe, it was determined that the woman had concocted her rape story.
According to court documents, seen by OBSERVER ONLINE sources, the woman reportedly stated that she was stressed at the time she opted to disappear.
She is to be assisted with counselling by the probation department over the next two years as part of her sentence.
At a February 2021 meeting of the St Ann Municipal Corporation, head of the St Ann Police Superintendent Dwight Powell warned persons against making false claims.
“I’m going to say to the public that whenever they are making reports to the police, they must be certain of where they are going because when those reports are investigated and they are not proven, there are other recourses that are left for law enforcement,” Powell said.