West Indies coach Daren Sammy responds to sexual assault allegations levelled at player

Coach Daren Sammy has spoken out for the first time about the sexual assault allegations levelled against a West Indian international cricketer.

West Indies coach Daren Sammy says he wants justice amid ongoing rape allegations levelled against a West Indian international cricketer but is yet to confirm whether his organisation had launched its own investigation into the matter.

The Windies trained in Grenada two days out from the second Test against a backdrop of untested claims that one of their players was the subject of sexual offence allegations involving 11 women including a teenager, and that the player had openly flaunted his ability to get around the justice system.

Speaking before training at the National Cricket Stadium in the early hours of Wednesday morning (AEST), an at-times terse Sammy said he was aware of the matter but that he had nothing concrete upon which to base them.

“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,” Sammy said.

West Indies coach Daren Sammy has spoken out about the ongoing allegations. Picture: Getty

“One thing I could say is, we believe in justice. We are a community that believes justice must be served. However there’s a process. And as you say, there’s allegations and we will continue to support in whatever way we can, to make sure that due process and the right system is followed.

“As now, 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…You’ve got to go through right channels, hearsay or allegations is just allegation.”

Pressed on whether Cricket West Indies had launched its own investigation, Sammy was noncommittal.

“I can’t answer to that to be honest. I’m pretty sure they are doing all what they can to make sure the right process is followed.”

A current international cricketer has been accused of an alleged series of sexual offences by 11 women, including a teenager.

Kaiateur News – a South American newspaper – last week made the claims about the West Indian player, which was followed by allegations that the process had been stonewalled by authorities in the player’s home country.

“The allegations that were levelled by the victim were levelled two years ago,” lawyer Nigel Hughes of the Law firm Hughes, Fields and Stoby, said on SportsMax TV.

“An investigation was conducted and we understand that there were recommendations by the office of public prosecutions to institute charges.

“I think the evidence is pretty strong in relation to what is happening here.”

Sammy meanwhile said he was keen to move on from comments he made regarding South African umpire Adrian Holdstock during the first Test that led to the former Windies captain being fined 15 per cent of his match fee.

Originally published as West Indies coach Daren Sammy responds to sexual assault allegations levelled at player