United Nations diplomat from South Sudan Charles Dickens Imene Oliha (Photo: Facebook)

By  Gary  Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

UNITED  NATIONS  –  NEW  YORK  –    A  South Sudanese diplomat with the United Nations allegedly raped a New York City woman twice in her apartment.  Charles Dickens Imene Oliha, 46, a career UN diplomat for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in South Sudan was arrested on Sunday following the alleged sexual assault in upper Manhattan. However, Oliha was released by New York Police Department (NYPD) officers after being informed of his diplomatic immunity.  NYPD was unable to charge Oliha because Diplomatic Immunity is a form of legal immunity that ensures diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country’s laws. The South Sudanese diplomat’s whereabouts are currently unknown as he may have fled the United States. Oliha lived in the same apartment as the alleged victim. According to a police report, Oliha and the woman were in the elevator together in the building when he told her he was coming upstairs with her. The woman reportedly told him “no you’re not”.   The woman claimed Oliha then followed  her to apartment where he forced himself inside. She claimed Oliha raped her once with a condom, then another time without one. After the  alleged assault, the woman was in shock and went to sleep, then filed  a  police report after a friend convinced her to go to the police. The victim was then taken to Columbia University Medical Center for medical attention. 

(Photo by  Gary Raynaldo  /  ©Diplomatic  Times )  Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the United Nations Secretary- General, addresses reporters at  UN world headquarters in New York) 

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary general, said: “We are aware of this report, which is very concerning. Any case of alleged sexual assault needs to be fully investigated. This particular case involves a member of the Permanent Mission of South Sudan who is not a staff member of the United Nations. This is a bilateral issue between South Sudan and the US authorities. We will continue to follow the situation.”

South Sudan “Regrets”  Detention of its Diplomat Over Rape Incident in New York

South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement Tuesday that it  learned with regret of the alleged rape incident involving one of its diplomats at the country’s permanent mission to United Nations in New York, United States,  according to Sudans Post. “However; as per the report, the investigation is still ongoing and will soon have clearer details of what has transpired in that incident,”  the statement added.