WI vs AUS: Coach Darren Sammy demands 'justice' after West Indies cricketer accused of sexual assault
Synopsis
West Indies head coach Darren Sammy addressed sexual assault allegations against a current cricketer. Sammy emphasized the importance of due process and justice while declining to comment on any internal investigation.
West Indies head coach Darren Sammy broke the silence on allegations of sexual assault against a current cricketer ahead of the second Test of the three-match Test series against Australia at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada, starting on July 3.
During the West Indies’ defeat in the first Test in Barbados, the Guyana-based newspaper Kathieur News sparked a storm by reporting that a cricketer in the current Caribbean squad for the home series against Australia had sexually assaulted 11 women, including a teenager. The said West Indies cricketer hails from Guyana, and the incident drew public attention through a detailed report of one of the victims’ mother’s account.
According to the victim’s mother, the Guyana-based West Indies cricketer sexually assaulted her daughter in March 2023, but no formal charges have been filed yet. The victim’s mother alleged that the cricketer’s family tried to settle the matter privately, further accusing the local authorities of attempting to cover up the crime.
‘We believe in justice’
Speaking at the press conference on the eve of the Grenada Test, Darren Sammy was asked about the recent sexual assault allegations against a West Indies cricketer. The head coach demanded justice while highlighting the importance of respecting legal procedures with regard to a serious case.
“We are all aware of what’s been going on in the media. I’m very close to my players. I’ve had conversations with them. One thing I could say is, we believe in justice. We are a community that believes justice must be served," a former West Indies captain said.
“However, there’s a process. There are allegations, and we will continue to support in whatever way we can to ensure due process and the right system are followed," he added.
The Guyana-based publication, Kaieteur, in its report, titled ‘Monster in Maroon’, claimed that they heard accounts from ‘no fewer than eleven women, one of them a teenager’, accusing the Caribbean cricketer of sexual assault or sexual advances.
The lawyer of one of the victims, Nigel Hughes, revealed that the cricketer was part of the West Indies’ famous Test win against Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane in 2024.
‘I’m not a prosecutor’
Darren Sammy urged to allow legal procedure to be allowed to take appropriate actions against sexual assault, while being confident of the justice being served. However, the West Indies head coach refrained from commenting on whether the board had an internal investigation with regards to the matter.
“It’s allegations. We know the justice system; you’ve got to wait for things to process. I’m not a judge, I’m not a prosecutor. The information that has come out is what we have. I’m pretty sure at the end of the day, justice will be served," he remarked.
“I can’t answer to that, to be honest. I’m pretty sure they are doing all they can to ensure the right process is followed," Sammy added.
Meanwhile, the West Indies are currently trailing 0-1 in the series against Australia after the Barbados Test defeat and will look to bounce back in the Grenada Test.