CCTV Evidence Disappears in Myanmar Toddler Rape Case

By Moe Moe 7 November 2019

NAYPYITAW – A Naypyitaw court has found no original CCTV video on a disk submitted by the Wisdom Hill nursery school in Naypyitaw, where the rape of a 2-year-old girl, dubbed “Victoria” on social media, allegedly took place in May.

“The hard disk is a primary piece of evidence. It is very important in investigating the case. We have no idea why such an important piece of evidence is missing when the court is about to investigate it,” said Daw Su Darli Aung, a lawyer for the accused driver, Aung Gyi.

Ko Yan Naung Htay, who oversees CCTV for the school, testified at the court on Wednesday that he downloaded the CCTV records of May 16 – when the incident happened – from the recorder to a USB stick to give to the police.

There were 11 downloaded records but the CCTV records of the day were corrupted three times, for 11 minutes, eight minutes and five minutes each in the afternoon and evening. Both the memory stick and hard disk were transferred to the police and the hard disk was given back to the school.

“He downloaded the records. But now there is nothing. Who did that? We must ask the technicians,” Daw Su Darli Aung said.

Ko Yan Naung Htay told the court that he did not know the disk was empty.

The lawyers requested that the court retrieve the video from technicians.

The court said it would investigate with the technicians “at an appropriate time”.

Victoria is alleged to have been sexually assaulted at the Wisdom Hill private nursery school in Naypyitaw’s Zabuthiri Township on May 16. Her mother opened a complaint with the police the following day.

With the delays in the investigation of the case and alleged irregularities, the case entered the national spotlight and caused thousands to take to the streets calling for justice.

Police filed rape charges against the school supervisor’s driver, Aung Gyi. But many believe that the driver is a scapegoat and suspect the two teenage sons of the school supervisor committed the crime, based on statements by the victim.

Translated from Burmese by San Yamin Aung