A truck driver yesterday was not required to plead to the indictable charge of buggery when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Mohammed Hanoman, 34, of Friendship Squatting Area is alleged to have buggered a female on November 2 at Great Diamond.
However before the charges were read, Hanoman’s lawyer, Vic Puran asked the magistrate not to deal with the matter since his client was in illegal custody. He said that his client was held beyond 72 hours in police custody.
Magistrate Robertson, after acknowledging Puran, told him to follow-up the necessary processes in the High Court if he desired and proceeded to read the charge to Hanoman.
In his bail application, Puran said his client who is a father of three had dropped off the virtual complainant (VC) at a snackette at Grove and that was the last time he saw her.
The young lady, Puran claimed, disappeared for two days and when she showed up and was questioned by relatives she levied the accusation of buggery against his client.
Puran further told the court that his client’s mother has recorded a conversation in which the VC said she was buggered in someone else’s home by that person.
Puran accused the police of not acting on the information and stated that the police have to ask the girl what is the colour of the paint in his client’s house if she was indeed assaulted there. He also questioned the prosecution whether the house the act was alleged to have occurred had been visited by the police.
Puran had to be scolded by the magistrate for shouting at the prosecutor after his questions as to whether the scene was investigated was not fully answered.
He told the magistrate that she should not be condoning such disrespect from the bar table.
Police prosecutor in the case, Kevin London in response to Puran’s statements that nothing was done by the police to find the suspect he referred to, said that the police had investigated every lead they had.
He said that he was not aware of the allegation being made by the defendant’s mother and the medical certificate indicated that there is evidence to support a case of buggery.
Puran in turn asked the court in the light of the circumstances for reasonable bail for his client.
Magistrate Robertson subsequently denied bail and transferred the matter to Court Three for November 11.