Last Updated IST
Scarlett's mother Fiona Mackeown leaves the Goa Children's Court in Panaji after the verdict was delivered on Friday.
Eight years after British teenage girl Scarlett Eden Keeling was found dead on a beach in Goa, a court on Friday acquitted two locals accused of drugging, sexually abusing and leaving her to die.
Goa Children’s Court Judge Vandana Tendulkar acquitted Samson D’Souza and Placido Carvalho of all charges in the high-profile case, which had cast a shadow on the coastal state, a former Portuguese enclave.
D’Souza and Carvalho were charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, sexual abuse and drugging. As the verdict was pronounced in a jam-packed court hall, Scarlett’s mother Fiona MacKeown did not hide her deep disappointment. “I am devastated, I am shocked,” said Fiona, who waited for long for the verdict as the trial dragged on for years due to several reasons, including withdrawal of the initial prosecutor and failure to get the deposition of a key witness from abroad.
Talking to reporters outside the court, Fiona, who flew down to Goa from Devon, UK, said, “I was not expecting an acquittal. I was expecting a conviction. I will challenge the order.” After the verdict was announced, D’Souza told reporters, “I am relieved. Justice has finally prevailed.”
Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar termed the judgement “unfortunate”, but said it will not hamper the image of the state. “I have just heard about the verdict, I have not gone through the entire judgement. I feel the outcome of the verdict is heartbreaking, it is very unfortunate. Unless, I go through the judgement, I will not be in a position to detail my reaction,” he said. “I feel such a verdict needs to be challenged in the higher court,” he added.
The 15-year-old’s bruised and semi-nude body was found at Anjuna beach on February 19, 2008. After the body was recovered, Fiona stayed in Anjuna for a couple of weeks trying to piece together the evidence.
The Goa Police, accused of trying to hush up the incident, had initially dismissed it as a case of drowning. But later, registered it as culpable homicide after Fiona pressed for a
second autopsy, which found that the girl was drugged and raped. The CBI, which was handed the probe following repeated pleas by Scarlett’s family, had filed its charge sheet in 2009.
The case had grabbed international attention as British citizens form the largest number of tourists visiting Goa. The investigating agency had charged D’Souza of sexually abusing the girl and leaving her to die on the beach, while Carvalho was accused of providing narcotics to her on the fateful day. The prosecution had examined 31 witnesses, including the victim’s mother, during the trial.
Goa Children’s Court Judge Vandana Tendulkar acquitted Samson D’Souza and Placido Carvalho of all charges in the high-profile case, which had cast a shadow on the coastal state, a former Portuguese enclave.
D’Souza and Carvalho were charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, sexual abuse and drugging. As the verdict was pronounced in a jam-packed court hall, Scarlett’s mother Fiona MacKeown did not hide her deep disappointment. “I am devastated, I am shocked,” said Fiona, who waited for long for the verdict as the trial dragged on for years due to several reasons, including withdrawal of the initial prosecutor and failure to get the deposition of a key witness from abroad.
Talking to reporters outside the court, Fiona, who flew down to Goa from Devon, UK, said, “I was not expecting an acquittal. I was expecting a conviction. I will challenge the order.” After the verdict was announced, D’Souza told reporters, “I am relieved. Justice has finally prevailed.”
Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar termed the judgement “unfortunate”, but said it will not hamper the image of the state. “I have just heard about the verdict, I have not gone through the entire judgement. I feel the outcome of the verdict is heartbreaking, it is very unfortunate. Unless, I go through the judgement, I will not be in a position to detail my reaction,” he said. “I feel such a verdict needs to be challenged in the higher court,” he added.
The 15-year-old’s bruised and semi-nude body was found at Anjuna beach on February 19, 2008. After the body was recovered, Fiona stayed in Anjuna for a couple of weeks trying to piece together the evidence.
The Goa Police, accused of trying to hush up the incident, had initially dismissed it as a case of drowning. But later, registered it as culpable homicide after Fiona pressed for a
second autopsy, which found that the girl was drugged and raped. The CBI, which was handed the probe following repeated pleas by Scarlett’s family, had filed its charge sheet in 2009.
The case had grabbed international attention as British citizens form the largest number of tourists visiting Goa. The investigating agency had charged D’Souza of sexually abusing the girl and leaving her to die on the beach, while Carvalho was accused of providing narcotics to her on the fateful day. The prosecution had examined 31 witnesses, including the victim’s mother, during the trial.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks