This is a story of Liam, whose teenage daughter returned home one day, dazed. After much probing, he finally found out that she was raped by a man who had 2 ear piercings on his left ear lobe.
Liam frantically went about the neighbourhood to look for the culprit. He finally saw one man who had 2 ear piercings on his left earlobe. This man looked like he was in his 20s, so he should be capable of committing a rape. This man is called Azen.
Instead of reporting the matter to the police, Azen called his family, friends and associates – anybody who would answer his call – to come and beat poor Azen up. Azen gave no chance for Azen to explain, because the ear piercings said it all.
In an alternate universe, the story is the same up to the point of Liam discovering Azen. Instead of calling his village of helpers to beat up Azen, Liam went to report the rape of his daughter to the police.
The police, with their superior investigation tools and un-prejudiced perspective, concluded that Azen was not the suspect.
In fact, if Liam had reported the rape to the police right from the start, Azen would not have been troubled to be called to the police station to take a statement. Instead, the police would find out that a man from out of town, called Liam, was the rapist.
If only Liam had not taken justice in his own hands, the right culprit would have been apprehended, and apprehended early, if Liam had gone straight to the police after he found out his daughter was raped, but before he went to search for the culprit himself.
Azen, in either alternate universes, would have continued living his life normally.
That, my friends, is why we should ensure we have a working Criminal Justice System in place. Singapore has one, and it is working very fine as of now. Whatever wrong you have suffered, turn to the System. Do not ever take justice into your own hands and exact your own revenge.
Because, without proper tools and education in techniques of investigation, you would have wronged Azen just like Liam did.
Happy National Day, Singapore!
