By Matters India Reporter

Panaji: A British woman has announced 20,000-pound reward for anyone who would testify in the case of her daughter’s death in Goa eight years ago.

Fiona Mackeown made the offer through her legal representative in India, Vikram Verma, in a bid get justice for her daughter Scarlet Keeling Eden.

Scarlett’s bruised, semi-nude corpse was found on Goa’s Anjuna beach on February 18, 2008. Two locals, Samson D’Souza and Placido Carvalho, were accused of leaving the 15-year-old girl to die on the beach after drugging and sexually abusing her.

The case, which was initially investigated by Goa police, was later handed over to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the state government after Mackeown raised doubts on the investigations. Goa children’s court, after examining several witnesses, on September 23, 2016, acquitted both the accused.

The court ruled that the prosecution could not establish offence against both the accused. The CBI which was unhappy with the judgment has said in its petition that ‘Special Judge had not applied her judicial mind, both on the points of law and on facts of the case.’

The CBI on February 7 challenged the acquittal in the Bombay High Court.

Varma maintains that the autopsy had confirmed the teenager was raped and murdered. “Substantial evidence was destroyed and there was conscious delay in handing over the investigation to the CBI. The criminal justice system consists of many cogs and wheels, anyone of which can subvert the entire system. This has been such a case so far,” he added.

Verma on March 8 told the Herald, a local newspaper in Goa, that Mackeown along with some close friends is on a crowd funding mission to raise funds for the purpose. The move is essentially to trace two locals, who had volunteered to appear as witnesses.

“When we were conducting our independent inquiry (in February 2008) two persons had approached us disclosing the crime. However, they could not be traced thereafter. We had faced a setback in the Children’s Court when the eye witness (Michael Mannion) refused to appear during the trial which gave an advantage to the accused. Tracking down other crucial witnesses through such a campaign might help us get justice,” the lawyer said.

The application was heard on March 6, and adjourned for next date.