Police apprehend boy for alleged sex offence

A boy has been apprehended by the Public Security Police Force (PSP) who alleged he sexual harassed a girl, the police announced on Saturday.

The boy was connected to a sexual offence that reportedly took place in the afternoon of Jul. 5. The case was publicized on social media by a user and went viral.

The police disclosed that they commenced investigations immediately after becoming aware of the post. The investigations led them to the boy.

According to the police, evidence shows that the boy might have committed a sexual offence against minors, pursuant to Article 166 of the Penal Code.

The police emphasized that should members of the public witness or become victims of any offence, they should immediately report the offence to the police.

Regarding the social media post, the user said that a boy who appears approximately 15-years-old was seen playing with a girl who appears approximately seven-years-old in the Flower City Garden in Taipa.

The girl’s pants were later seen half-off with her bottom exposed. The boy, meanwhile, was seen pulling and caressing the girl’s arms and waist.

According to the user, the boy was heard asking if the girl wanted to have sexual intercourse with him. He was also seen caressing the girl’s thigh, attempting to persuade the girl to have sex with him.

When the boy saw the user filming the incident, he departed from the scene, according to the user.

The user said they notified the girl’s parents, who were found walking around the garden, and also notified the garden security team.

The user was told that the boy is a frequent attendee at the garden, which explains the reduced sense of wariness and monitoring, they added.