A United Nations (U.N.) diplomatic representative of South Sudan successfully fled to his home country this week after he was arrested on August 21 for allegedly raping a woman in New York City but released the next day after invoking diplomatic immunity, the New York Post reported on Thursday.
“The South Sudanese envoy accused of raping his Manhattan neighbor earlier this week fled to his homeland after dodging charges in the city, officials confirmed,” the newspaper reported on August 25.
The Post referred to an official press release issued by South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday, which stated in part:
It is with regret that our diplomat was involved in an alleged rape incident with one of New York City residents [sic]. The leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation took the decision to immediately recall the diplomat in question, pending a full investigation from a specialized committee. The diplomat in question is now back in South Sudan and has been suspended from his duties, awaiting the outcome of this investigation. […]
We are committed to working closely with the relevant US authorities to take the appropriate action, following the outcome of all investigations.
New York Police City Department (NYPD) officers arrested South Sudanese diplomat Charles Dickens Imene Oliha, 46, on August 21 after a woman accused him of forcing his way into her apartment and raping her twice that day. Both the victim and Oliha reside in the same apartment building in Washington Heights and Oliha allegedly spotted his victim as she walked a neighbor’s dog outside the complex around noon on Sunday. According to a police report seen by the Post this week, Oliha allegedly offered to open the door for his victim as she entered her apartment’s lobby, telling her that he was going to follow her upstairs to her apartment. “No, you’re not,” the woman replied, according to the NYPD report.
“But as the woman opened the door to her apartment, the suspect forced his way inside,” the newspaper quoted police as stating in the report.
“The woman reported that the intruder pinned her against a wall and raped her using a condom before raping her again on the couch without a condom,” according to the NYPD.
Police officers arrested Oliha late on August 21 after the woman filed a police report about the alleged sex crimes and underwent a medical evaluation at Columbia University Medical Center. The NYPD released the rape suspect early on the morning of August 22, however, after he successfully claimed diplomatic immunity.
News that Oliha had fled to his homeland as of August 25 called into question whether South Sudanese authorities would seek to extradite the diplomat to the U.S. to face possible rape charges in New York City.
South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry “did not specify” in its statement on Friday “if South Sudan would extradite the suspect back to the states if Manhattan prosecutors filed charges against him,” the Post observed.
“The D.A. [District Attorney]’s Office is actively investigating [Oliha’s alleged rapes], as well as supporting the survivor through our Witness Aid Services Unit,” Emily Tuttle, Deputy Director of Communications and Senior Advisor at the Manhattan D.A.’s Office, told the newspaper in a statement on August 25 when asked about the matter.