Media outlets are full this week of the shocking – and utterly convincing – allegations against the late former Harrods boss, Mohamed Al-Fayed. Multiple women have come forward alleging that he raped and abused them while they were staff at his luxury London store.
To be honest, I knew little about the tycoon, other than that he was father of Dodi, the boyfriend of Princess Diana, who died together in that fatal car crash in Paris many years ago.
Harrods’ HR
On hearing of Mohamed Al-Fayed’s abuse of these girls, my first reaction was that it was a shame that it took until after his death for them to feel able to come forward. But it is much more than a shame - it is much darker than that. This monster not only abused and raped at will, but seemed to have a web of protection that extended beyond his commercial empire.
It appears that, while multiple women did indeed keep silent out of fear or shame, many did not, yet nothing seemed to be done about it. We now read of evidence literally being shredded by Harrods’ HR (human resources) department. A former head of Scotland Yard’s fraud squad, John McNamara, who appears to still have had significant influence there, became Al-Fayed’s head of security – and was able to terrify potential complainants into silence.
The facts are damning. Fayed was investigated by police three times yet was never prosecuted.
According to the BBC, one personal assistant who had shared information with Vanity Fair for an article alleging Al-Fayed’s misdemeanours, described how McNamara “warned her not to be involved in her article and said that if she went against his advice, she should be aware he knew where her parents lived. ‘It turned me cold,’ she said.”
Two-tier justice
Journalist Allison Pearson says that “The facts are damning. Fayed was investigated by police three times yet was never prosecuted. In 2008, he was accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in the Harrods boardroom. The CPS said there was not enough evidence to prosecute, citing ‘conflicting evidence’.
“In 2015, Metropolitan police investigated him following allegations he had raped a woman in 2013. Once again, the CPS reviewed the files and there was no prosecution. In 2018, multiple women came forward to tell their stories to the police. That time, a file didn’t even get as far as the CPS.”
Allison herself was unable to run a story 25 years ago about this creep – for fear of the libel lawsuits that would inevitably follow – something that someone as rich as Fayed could pay for easily out of his deep pockets.
It appears that the justice system itself, the police and the CPS, with the laws that allow for rich people to bankrupt those who make allegations against them, allowed this man, just like Jimmy Saville, to rape and abuse without consequence – until his death has allowed the web of protection he built to untangle.
Many, it seems, mostly in his employ, or bribed and sweetened with gifts, assisted the abuse.
As Ms Pearson states: “Welcome to two-tier British justice; for the few, not the many. Libel actions in this country are potentially so expensive that you need deep pockets to defend one. A sales assistant at Harrods could blow her lifetime earnings on a week in court. Fayed calculated he could molest and rape such people with impunity. He was right.”
Many, it seems, mostly in his employ, or bribed and sweetened with gifts, assisted the abuse. This includes doctors who would conduct ‘medical examinations’ on new staff, including intimate investigation, to ensure that those young women Fayed raped were not going to infect him with HIV or other diseases, as he was terrified of disease.
Learning from the prophets
The 3,000 year old book of Amos has much to say about this case – and the country and systems that allowed this man to operate with impunity. Amos brought his prophetic word to the Northern kingdom of Israel, even though he himself was from Judah.
He spoke at a time when Israel, on the surface of things, had a prosperous economy. Law and order were, in appearances, maintained. The population was outwardly religious, keeping the festivals and rituals. But something was sorely amiss. And God had a very devastating judgement to announce through Amos. He had weighed up Israel’s actions, and they were not good.
And the courts were doing nothing to stop it – on the contrary, they colluded with them, taking bribes, and upholding lies.
The courts provide much of the focus in Amos – turning justice into bitterness (Amos 5:7), lies being upheld in the court (Amos 5:10), oppressing the innocent, taking bribes, depriving the poor of justice (Amos 5:12). Other sins included selling people into slavery (Amos 8:6); sexual immorality (Amos 2:7); desecration of holy places (Amos 2:8); shutting the mouths of the prophets (Amos 2:12)Amos 7:12); oppression of the poor (Amos 8:4), crushing of the needy (Amos 5:11, Amos 4:1)); manipulative economic practices (Amos 8:5). Essentially, Israel’s rich were exploiting the poor – in horrendous ways. And the courts were doing nothing to stop it – on the contrary, they colluded with them, enabling this oppression, by taking bribes, and upholding lies.
Judgement on injustice
Is this not what we see here? A rich man abusing his staff, and, it seems, using his money, power and influence to manipulate his way into not facing the justice that he deserved.
The message of Amos is clear – God cares how we, as individuals and as nations, act. He passionately cares about both justice and righteousness.
And another message is also clear – God will judge injustice and unrighteousness. Israel faced a calamitous destruction for its failure to uphold true justice – and failure to repent, despite repeated warnings.
Israel faced a calamitous destruction for its failure to uphold true justice – and failure to repent, despite repeated warnings.
Judgement is not something that we, as Christians, should fear to speak of. Justice is paramount – indeed, it could easily be argued that the only essential things for a government to provide their populations are an effective legal system, and protection from external attack – anything else can be sorted by groups, charities, businesses, and individuals.
Key parts of our legal system have been based on the Bible, as the whole country has for centuries had a Christian foundation. Foundational aspects include Deuteronomy 16:18-19, where it states; “Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town … and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe…”
A following chapter tells us that, “A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” This was in order to prevent malicious witnesses lying to get others into trouble. We also hear that “judges must make a thorough investigation” (Deut 19:15).
True justice allows individuals and societies to thrive – it brings safety, security and prosperity. Yet these are all things that are on the wane in Britain today. Is it any surprise when the rich can manipulate justice for decades, just as happened in Amos’ time?
Knowing that God cares about justice, and will see it done, is of paramount importance.
God cares
And God’s judgment will come on those for whom human judgment fails, another key message of Amos, who describes the fate that awaited Israel should it not repent. This judgement may be in this life or the next – Mohamed Al-Fayed will have by now faced God’s wrath.
Knowing that God cares about justice, and will see it done, is of paramount importance. I read in my daily reading notes a while back of a man whose life was surrounded by poverty and injustice. He investigated the great religions of the world, then opted to become a Christian. Why? Because Christianity was, in his view, the only religion that promised judgement on those who meted out injustice and oppression.
Remember, standing up for justice, ensuring it is meted out without fear or favour, for rich and poor alike, is actually a vital part of our Christian walk. Let us ensure that we stand up for it – and pray for those who have faced this particular injustice, that their voices will be heard, and that justice will be done.
Amos summed it up neatly; “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream” (5:24)
