Two former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) privates were yesterday charged with the rape of a 26-year-old Essequibo woman.
Rawlston Reid, 22, a resident of Dochfour Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara and Isaiah Rawlins, 21, of Wisroc, Linden, who were both attached to 6th Infantry Battalion at Anna Regina, appeared before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court.
They were not required to plead to the indictable charge and each was granted his release on $300,000 bail. However, bail was granted with the condition that they report to the Anna Regina Police Station every Friday until the completion of their trial.
The case was adjourned until December 3rd, when it will be called again at the Charity Magistrate’s Court.
The police have said that the two men, who allegedly sexually assaulted the woman and robbed her partner at the Anna Regina Centre Ground, were charged based on legal advice obtained from the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
They have not yet faced any charges in relation to the robbery.
Stabroek News had previously reported that the couple had been liming at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground, where they were attacked around 10.30 pm last Saturday.
The GDF, in a release, had said that the soldiers were placed under close arrest after the allegations were made against them.
The couple alleged that the soldiers approached them and instructed the woman to perform a sexual act on her partner. She refused and the men allegedly sexually assaulted her.
During the attack, her partner offered his valuables to the perpetrators to get them to stop but the men continued with their attack.
