(Trinidad Express) A pensioner and a security guard were denied bail yesterday when they appeared before a court charged with the rape of a 12-year-old girl.
Thomas Sylvester, 66, and Elton Rampersad, 33, were taken to prison after being advised of their right to apply to a judge for bail.
Five charges were yesterday read to Sylvester by Chaguanas Second Court Magistrate Alexander Prince.
It is alleged that on dates unknown in February and March 2012 and on a date unknown during 2009, he had sexual intercourse with a female under the age of 14 in central Trinidad.
He was also charged with indecently assaulting the girl in 2009 and February 2012.
Rampersad was charged with having unlawful sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 14.
Charges were laid by Constable Alicia Joseph.
The Express was told that charges were laid against the men after the alleged victim was medically examined at hospital yesterday.
Last Thursday, after receiving the results of her Secondary Entrance Examination (SEA), the girl, who passed for her first choice, was seen crying.
She then told relatives she had been sexually assaulted by two men.
Sylvester and Rampersad who were arrested last Friday were taken to the courtroom in handcuffs, around 3.30 p.m.
The mother of the alleged victim, and several other females, sat in the public gallery and looked on. The men appeared expressionless, and spoke only to answer to their names.
Defence attorney Richard McLeod, who requested bail for his clients, said Sylvester was a pensioner who had no convictions and Rampersad was a security officer with no matters before the court.
Police prosecutor Sgt Jackson, however, objected to bail being granted and asked that a criminal background trace be done.
McLeod argued that his clients had been in custody since Friday, giving police ample time to trace them.
Jackson told the court the men were only charged yesterday afternoon and, given the nature of the enquiry, tracing did not apply before that time.
Magistrate Prince explained that it was unlawful to trace a person before a charge was laid, and granted police the time needed to have the men’s criminal background checked.
The cases were adjourned to tomorrow, to be heard before another magistrate.
