Costa Nunes Kindergarten | Secretary for Security denies claims of poor investigation

Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak has adamantly refuted accusations from parents and lawmakers that the Judiciary Police (PJ) poorly investigated the case of child sexual abuse at the D. José da Costa Nunes Kindergarten.

On the topic, Wong said, “this case has been archived already and honestly, there are different voices in society about [it].” The Secretary added that he was aware of criticism from both parents and Macau lawmakers suggesting a lack of professional capacity to investigate the case.

However, Wong maintained that police authorities took all possible precautions when dealing with the case, including ensuring that the location for questioning the children had a “home feeling.”

In response to one specific allegation, Wong explained that a guardian was asked to leave the room during the questioning of his child because he was instructing the child on what she should say to the police, “leaving no option to PJ investigators but to ask him to leave.”

The Secretary reaffirmed that “all PJ investigators are trained, but of course we need to continuously train [these professionals] especially concerning techniques for communication with children.”

Questioned on whether the force possesses adequate resources for the investigation, namely a psychologist to address this type of case, Wong answered that there is a mechanism for authorities to call on expertise from specialists appointed by the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau.

Asked whether it was strange that the specialist used by the PJ in a previous case of child abuse was, in fact, the same psychologist who worked at the Costa Nunes Kindergarten and was suspended by the institution for having failed in her duties, the Secretary could not provide an answer.

Although the Public Prosecutions Office decided to drop the case due to lack of evidence, the final report on the investigation into the classroom teacher and director of the kindergarten concluded with the teacher having her contract terminated starting next week and with the director being given a written warning.

The psychologist also saw her duties suspended during the investigation, in addition to the early termination of the staff member who was accused of abusing the children.