A city businessman was yesterday remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Oneidge Waldron-Allicock charged with four counts of buggery of male minors.
Kevin Jordan, 48, of Lot 524 Republic Park, East Bank Demerara and of Jordan’s Spare Parts at High and Broad streets was showered with taunts, threats and insults by a large crowd when he was taken to the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday. He was not required to plead to the indictable charges.
Jordan had to be locked in a separate cell while waiting for his case to be called and heavily armed policemen escorted him to and from the courtroom as the crowd, dominated by women, showed him threatening signs and labelled him an outcast.
It is alleged that Jordan committed the acts on November 7 and on November 2 at his business place. The four virtual complainants are between the ages of six and eight years old.
The allegations surfaced last Wednesday when a seven-year-old student of a primary school located a short distance from Jordan’s business place complained of a pain in his rear. Checks revealed blood and when the child was questioned, he reportedly implicated the businessman. Subsequently, the other boys came forward also alleging that Jordan had committed sexual acts on them during the school’s lunch period at his business place.
Jordan was initially arrested and released on station bail.
Yesterday, relatives of the virtual complainants and some of the school’s pupils converged on the court. When Jordan arrived just after 11 am in the company of armed policemen, he was subjected to loud, harsh remarks, which disrupted other courts that were in session. Since the court where the matter was scheduled to be heard had adjourned until 1.30 pm, Jordan was placed in the lockups usually used to house female prisoners and juveniles.
In the courtroom, there was no space and some resorted to sitting on the floor. Outside, curious persons crowded the passageway and a policeman guarding the door attempted to clear the area to no avail.
Attorneys-at-law Neil Boston and Joseph Harmon entered appearance for Jordan. Harmon put forward a lengthy argument in a bid to secure bail for his client but was unsuccessful.
He also argued that since the virtual complainants were all minors the case should be dealt with in-camera.
He stated that the offence was one that could be tried indictably or summarily and made an application for the latter.
However, Police Prosecu- tor Hugh Winter asked for the matter to remain indictable since the offence was a serious one.
The magistrate subsequently ruled in favour of the prosecution, stating that the matter “is a bit too serious to be dealt with summarily.”
In bail plea, Harmon spoke of the hostile environment his client was in adding that newspaper articles already published on the matter could prejudice the case.
He said his client has been operating his business for over 24 years and had never faced any such allegations. “I will describe him as a philanthropist in that area. On a daily basis he gives money to children in need in that community,” the defence counsel said, adding that the sums sometimes amount to $25,000 on a weekly basis.
Harmon also told the court that for the last ten years, his client has been making kites available to the children in the community at Easter. “This is evidence of a businessman who has a social conscience and gives back to the community where he operates, on a weekly, monthly and sometimes yearly basis.”
He assured the court that his client would return to court if he were granted bail and reminded the court that there was still a presumption of innocence for the defendant.
Harmon stressed that his client would be vindicated of all the charges and if it were found that the children were indeed sexually assaulted, the police would have to look for the right persons who might even be sitting in the court. “We do not condone buggering or tampering with small children,” he submitted.
The prosecution opposed bail on the grounds of the seriousness of the offences adding that the defendant was a flight risk because of our porous borders. Winter then informed the court that more children had come forward and the defendant could face more charges shortly.
During the proceedings, Jordan stood motionless and expressionless in the dock. At the end of the hearing, he managed a slight smile while speaking with Harmon.
As he was led from the courtroom, his relatives burst into tears and the crowd began taunting him as soon as they stepped out. He was quickly whisked off to the Camp Street jail.
The matter continues on December 10.
