EDITORIAL: The public deserves answers in the Hengari matter

The public deserves clarity on the status of the allegations that led to the downfall of former agriculture minister Mac Hengari. Equally, Hengari deserves fairness.

These two principles are not contradictory. In fact, they are inseparable in any society governed by the rule of law.

The allegations against Hengari were serious enough to trigger a national scandal. They resulted in his removal from Cabinet, a police investigation into claims that he raped and impregnated a young woman, and his arrest on allegations that he attempted to bribe his accuser. The matter attracted widespread public attention and prompted official statements from both State House and the police.

Given the gravity of the allegations and the prominence of the individual involved, public scrutiny was inevitable.

What is difficult to understand, however, is the silence that has followed. More than a year later, there is little public clarity on whether the police investigation has been completed, whether the DNA test reportedly conducted has yielded results, or whether any findings have been forwarded to the prosecutor general for a decision.

If no criminal wrongdoing was ultimately established, Hengari should not be condemned to live indefinitely under a cloud of suspicion. Reputations can be destroyed in a matter of days but take years to rebuild. When allegations are publicised, any exoneration or decision not to prosecute should be communicated with equal diligence.

If the public were informed of the accusations, it should also be informed of the outcome.

If investigations remain ongoing, the police should say so. If they have been concluded, the public should be informed accordingly. And if Hengari has been cleared of criminal liability, he should be afforded the opportunity to move forward with his life without the perpetual burden of unanswered questions hanging over him.