HollyMatkinBoston, MA – An illegal alien, who was working as an Uber driver, is believed to have fled the country following allegations that he raped a female passenger.
Ghana native Frederic Amfo, 30, was arrested in relation to the attack, but was allowed to bond out despite his flight risk and an ICE detainer, WFXT reported.
The incident occurred on Apr. 8, when Emily Murray used Uber to get a ride home after a night out with friends.
Her driver, Amfo, dropped off another passenger, then drove her to a dimly lit street, the Boston Herald reported.
He proceeded to lock the doors to the vehicle, and raped Murray in the backseat, she told WFXT.
Afterwards, Amfo asked her if she was on birth control, the Boston Herald reported.
“Within minutes, I was in a situation I couldn’t control, and I was assaulted,” Murray told WFXT. “It happened. I’m not ashamed, I’m not embarrassed. I understand what happened. I know I did nothing wrong.”
Investigators collected DNA evidence from a rape kit and from Amfo’s vehicle, which led to his arrest.
Murray was able to identify him in a photo lineup, the Boston Herald reported.
“I did the right thing,” she told WHDH. “I came forward, I did everything by the book that you are supposed to, and it failed me.”
Amfo appeared in Quincy District Court on Apr. 13, and was afforded a $10,000 bond. He was also told to stay away from Murray, and was ordered to surrender his passport within 24 hours of posting bail.
Although Amfo immediately bonded out of jail, he never surrendered his passport.
On Monday, Murray learned that her attacker had fled to the African nation of Ghana.
Murray said she was outraged that Amfo has had “zero” accountability for sexually assaulting her.
“If I went to Ghana and I committed a crime, I wouldn’t expect to be able to hop on a plane and say, ‘Sorry about that, here’s some money,'” she told WFXT. “I would expect to answer for it. Accountability.”
“I feel hurt,” Murray told the Boston Herald. “People get blamed for not coming forward and then get victimized more when they do.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials were furious that Amfo was allowed to walk out of jail, despite his illegal status in the U.S., WFXT reported.
They said they had placed an immigration detainer on Amfo immediately after his arrest.
“That detainer should have followed the alien as he transferred from the Quincy Court House,” ICE said in a statement, according to WFXT. “The court chose not to forward the detainer to Norfolk County, allowing for his subsequent release on bail from custody.”
“This case highlights the potential dangers of policies that prohibit cooperation with ICE,” the statement read.
On Tuesday evening, the Massachusetts Trial Court issued a statement, and said the court will now require defendants ordered to surrender their passports to do so prior to being released from custody.
They also said that a warrant for Amfo’s arrest had been issued.
Murray refused to stay silent about the injustice, and said she was at “a loss for words” that Amfo was able to flee to the other side of the planet.
“I was angry,” she said. “I’m still angry. I’m confused.”
Murray said she decided to go public about her victimization, because she does not want to see the same thing happen to anyone else.
“It’s just not a victimless crime,” she told WFXT. “Someone needs to answer, and there needs to be a face behind it for people to care, and that’s the truth.”
Murray said she fully understands the ramifications of Amfo’s escape.
“I don’t feel that I’ll ever have justice for what’s happened to me. But I hope this shines a light and it won’t happen in the future because of me coming forward and me releasing my name and putting a face behind this whole situation,” she told the Boston Herald.