The friend of a group of men accused of violently gang-raping a woman has told the victim she is ruining their reputation by speaking out and pressing charges against them.
The three men are accused of kidnapping the victim – a 25-year-old woman – before bundling her into a car and taking her to an industrial estate in San Gwann, where they repeatedly sexually assaulting her.
While the men have claimed they are innocent, sources in the police force have confirmed that they are in possession of CCTV footage of both the kidnapping and assault.
Furthermore, several phone calls, emails and a WhatsApp between the men, in which they bragged about their actions, have been leaked.
However, one of their friends insists that the woman should stay silent.
“It’s not fair that my friends’ reputation is being dragged through the mud like this. She should keep quiet, otherwise they might be fired from their jobs and lose money,” the friend said.
“And before any foreigners condemn them, just remember that rape exists in your countries too,” she added.
The friend appealed for calm during the Christmas period.
“This isn’t the time to be accusing people of rape. How can people do their Christmas shopping in peace when people are going around making accusations of violent sexual assualt? We need to be serene,” she said.
“And besides, I know a woman who was raped 42 years ago and the perpetrator still hasn’t been brought to justice, so the ‘victim’ and her supporters should shut up,” she concluded.
