Capturing a sex predator

On Thursday night, a group of Charlieville residents captured an alleged sex predator who attempted to rape a resident of the area.

The incident probably helped to save the victim, though she had taken the initiative to escape, and screaming to draw attention to her plight.

The woman was discovered running naked in the road and a search was mounted by more than 30 villagers to find her attacker.

The man, once cornered, raised a gun to defend himself. The villagers subdued and beat the man. It turned out the gun was a toy.

But, what if it were not?

In the heat of anger, someone might have been hurt or killed, and the beating the captured man received might have turned out to be fatal.

Regional authorities and police officers were quick to laud the action of the villagers, but talk of honours might be premature.

Their actions were humane, but risky.

Vigilante justice is driven by passion and often undertaken by amateurs at policing, a situation that's as likely to go terribly wrong as this one appears to have gone well.

India is wrestling with the challenges of vigilante justice running wild, as women, communities and even police officers engage in extra-judicial killings in response to horrific incidents of rape and assault of women.

At least three murders have been attributed to the Hercules killer who left suspected rapists dead with a note hung around their necks explaining their crime.

The best answer is always going to be better, more effective policing and more attention to the vulnerabilities of communities by the local government authorities responsible for their maintenance.

Chaguanas mayor Faaiq Mohammed said that the borough is trying to get more lights in the area, "because walking alone at night can be very dangerous."

Local government officials must be aware of the weaknesses in their areas and need to work harder to improve infrastructure while encouraging police officers patrol more diligently in areas known to be at risk.

The police cannot be everywhere, and officers should embrace opportunities to coach active and interested residents on how to collaborate on community observation and policing initiatives that operate within the realm of law and assist officers in the delivery of justice.

A woman was saved from a horrible fate on Thursday night by the actions of concerned villagers who made her business their business.

That is commendable.

But summary justice, delivered in anger, is never a substitute for the rule of law and the importance of due process.

Citizens who see the legal system working with dispatch and efficiency might be better motivated to stay their kicks and punches to let a functional judicial process take appropriate action on captured suspects.