UPDATE: While no response was received at this article’s time of publication, the Minister’s office did eventually reply. That response is included at the end of this piece in the interest of fairness.
Gript has made Justice Minister Helen McEntee aware that violent sex predators are remaining within the country, months after they were served deportation orders, and asked her to comment.
On Monday, Gript broke the exclusive story that sex offender Chico Makamda is roaming around Dublin, two months after he was ordered to leave Ireland.
GRIPT EXCLUSIVE: A sex offender who was ordered to leave Ireland by the 27th of January is still in the country 2 months later, Gript can reveal.#gripthttps://t.co/C6asGHvg7Y
— gript (@griptmedia) April 4, 2022
As previously reported, Makamda is originally from Angola. He has 15 prior convictions, and is guilty of physically assaulting multiple women (including one whom he punched in the stomach repeatedly), sexual assault, false imprisonment, exposing himself to teenage girls, masturbating in public, robbery and more.
Though he was sentenced to 7 and a half years in prison by Judge Melanie Greally, the final 2 and a half years were suspended on the condition that he leave the country by the end of January.
However, on Monday of this week, a Gript Media reporter snapped Makamda still free in Dublin – a full two months after he was supposed to self-deport.
Notably, in January, after the tragic killing of Ashling Murphy, Justice Minister Helen McEntee pledged “zero tolerance for any type of violence or abuse against women.”
The Minister also took responsibility for preventing such attacks, saying “I am the Minister with lead responsibility for domestic and sexual violence.”
Mere days before these comments, Makamda was released, and has still not left the country, in violation of his sentence conditions.
McEntee has in the past boasted about how few deportations have happened on her watch as Justice Minister, calling this a “compassionate and pragmatic approach.”
Justice Minister, Helen McEntee, says there have been almost no deportations under her watch during the covid-19 pandemic, describing it as a “compassionate and pragmatic approach”.
BEN SCALLAN asks if it is compassionate not to deport violent criminals. https://t.co/qZoIjgB2pZ
— gript (@griptmedia) December 13, 2020
Our approach is reflected in the fact that there have only been four deportations since March 2020, and that three of these applied to Deportation Orders which were issued before March.
— Helen McEntee TD (@HMcEntee) December 9, 2020
Additionally, there has been a significant drop off in deportations for “serious criminal convictions” during McEntee’s tenure.
The number of foreign criminals deported for “serious criminal convictions” has reduced dramatically since Helen McEntee became Justice Minister, Gript can reveal.#gripthttps://t.co/JfFiOcUg1r
— gript (@griptmedia) February 13, 2022
In light of this, Gript asked McEntee how she can square these facts with her pledge to protect women and girls. We also asked if McEntee would take responsibility if Makamda was to hurt another woman or girl while in the country, and if her Department was doing anything to find Makamda and individuals like him.
However, no reply was received.
Sex offences are on the rise in Ireland, increasing by 12% in the last year according to the CSO and McEntee’s own Department.
Gript is aware that Makamda, whose look is very distinctive, has frequented the same venues and areas in the city for some time, openly wandering around the streets in broad daylight with no attempt at stealth or concealing his whereabouts. One Gript reporter even saw him brazenly board the Luas in the city centre.
Despite his lack of discretion Makamda doesn’t seem concerned about either McEntee’s Justice Department or law enforcement attempting to pursue him, despite the threat he potentially poses to women and girls.
UPDATED – Minister McEntee’s office responds:
“The Department cannot comment on individual cases.
With regards to violence against women more generally, this Government has prioritised tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) in all its forms, and ensuring that people, particularly women and vulnerable people, feel safe and are safe in our communities.
Minister McEntee is currently leading work on the new whole of Government strategy to combat these heinous crimes. This new plan will be the most ambitious to date and will have a particular focus on prevention, and on ensuring victims are better supported. It will set an overall goal of zero tolerance in our society of DSGBV.
The strategy has been developed in partnership with the sector to ensure it is targeted, comprehensive and effective in achieving all of the goals set out. A detailed actions plan setting out how each of these aims will be achieved, who is responsible for them and the timeframe for delivery is currently being drafted with the sector so that it is targeted, ambitious and deliverable.
Minister McEntee will publish the final strategy and accompanying action plan in the coming weeks.”