The world of the early 21st-century continues to be one where nothing is as it seems. When the IMF head was pulled off a plane recently and arrested for the alleged rape of a hotel chambermaid, most were ready to convict based on the serious allegations leveled by the accuser. After all, it seemed to be another clear case of the weak and disadvantaged being taken advantage by the powerful elites that govern society. But in the high-stakes world of international politics, things are not always what they at first appear. Before very long the buzz started to grow about powerful forces that would dearly like to thwart the powerful leader's chances in his country's upcoming presidential elections, in addition to others who felt that he was not 'playing ball' by adopting a different stance to that desired by certain powerful nations in the IMF's dealings with debtor-countries in difficulty.
While it is a fact that a prostitute can be raped just as any other person, leaks from the ongoing investigation have revealed that the accuser has major challenges in speaking the truth, meaning that her credibility is now in shambles and the case against the accused is now in serious question. Whatever the eventual outcome, as the prosecutor's office looks to 'save face' by seeking a misdemeanor plea deal, it is further evidence that we must be ever-mindful of the powerful forces that control the levers of state machinery and how easy it remains for anyone who falls out of favor with those that hold the reins to be targeted. Is this why he so quickly resigned as IMF head to remove the heat and are the ongoing revelations part of the bargain to achieve his freedom? And, is this also why the case-altering revelations, though known to prosecutors at an early stage of the investigations, were only released after the appointment of his successor was formally confirmed?
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