Team Herald
PANJIM: A day after the verdict in the rape and murder case of teenager Scarlett Keeling, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said the outcome of the case was “heartbreaking and unfortunate”.
Eight years after the British teenager was found dead on Anjuna beach, a children’s court acquitted two locals accused of drugging, sexually abusing and leaving Scarlett to die on the shore.
Goa Children’s Court Judge Vandana Tendulkar acquitted Samson D’Souza and Placido Carvalho of all the charges in the high profile case. Carvalho and D’Souza were charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, sexual abuse and drugging the girl.
Parsekar, reacting to the judgement, termed it as “unfortunate”.
He, however, said it will not hurt the image of the State.
“It is a heartbreaking judgment… I feel that such an outcome of the case needs to be challenged in the higher court.”
He is not alone in thinking of appeal. As the verdict was pronounced in a packed court hall, Scarlett’s mother Fiona MacKeown too did not hide her disappointment.
“I am devastated, I am shocked,” MacKeown said, after having waited long for the verdict as the trial dragged on due to several reasons, including withdrawal of the initial prosecutor and failure to get the deposition of a key witness from abroad.
MacKeown, who flew down to Goa from Devon (UK) to be present in the court for the final verdict, said, “I am shocked. I was not expecting acquittal. I was expecting conviction. I will challenge the order.”
