La Paz, June 26 (EFE) Eight members of a Mennonite community in the eastern Bolivian province of Santa Cruz were jailed on charges of drugging and raping some 100 sleeping women, authorities said.
According to prosecutor Freddy Perez, seven of the jailed Mennonites, ranging in age from 18 to 41, are accused of raping the women, while the eighth person was accused of providing sleeping pills, condoms and even Viagra to the rapists.
Perez said it was still not known exactly how many women were sexually attacked, but it is believed that at least 100 Mennonites of the Manitoba community were raped, among them “many” between the ages of 10 and 18.
The rapists entered the victims’ homes at night through the windows and doors, and then somehow managed to render them unconscious. Then, they sexually abused the women and girls while they were knocked out.
“They entered into many homes and many victims were raped repeatedly. They turned up in their bed, at the side of their husband. They were raped naked and at times (the women) fought with the husband because they thought that he was the one who had done that to them,” said Perez.
Defence attorney Jose Gutierrez, however, said his clients denied the charges against them and slammed the prosecutor for badly handling the procedure.
“We do not deny that the crime of rape occurred, but it was never proven that it was my clients,” Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez said he will appeal the judge’s decision to deny bail to his clients.
Three other people are also accused of the serial rapes, but they are currently fugitives.
Located about 100 km from Santa Cruz city, the Manitoba settlement comprises descendants of Mennonites who emigrated to Bolivia from Canada.
In Bolivia, the Mennonite communities are located mainly in the eastern provinces of Santa Cruz and Beni.
