Deosarran Narine, called ‘Cha Cha’ and ‘Kumar,’ was yesterday handed a life sentence in his absence after a jury found him guilty of sexually molesting a five-year-old girl. Narine, who was present throughout his trial before absenting himself yesterday morning when the matter was called for the judge to do the summation of the case for the jury, was charged with committing the offence in May, 2014.
In light of his absence, the court adjourned the proceedings until yesterday afternoon, while ordering that ranks be dispatched to the man’s last known address in a bid to locate him. These efforts were, however, futile.
Narine’s attorney, Maxwell McKay, could not account for his client’s absence either.
Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry commenced her summing-up sometime around 2 pm. She cautioned the jurors against holding Narine’s absence against him or in any way using it as a factor in their deliberations.
She warned the panel to consider only the evidence presented at trial regarding the charge on which he had been indicted. After about two hours of deliberations, the jury returned with its verdict, convicting Narine of the offence of sexual activity with the child, whose vagina he penetrated with his finger.
The assault occurred sometime between May 1st and May 31st, 2014.
In imposing a sentence, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry noted that the court had considered both the aggravating and mitigating circumstances of the case, while pointing out the seriousness and prevalence of the offence.
The court highlighted, also, the psychological trauma the child would have experienced and with which she would now have to live for the rest of her life.
The judge ordered that the convict spends 25 years behind bars before becoming eligible for parole.
The state’s case was presented by Prosecutors Orinthia Schmidt and Lisa Cave.
The trial proceedings were held in-camera at the Sexual Offences Court of the High Court in Georgetown.
