A Berbice man was yesterday found guilty of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2014 and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Mohamed Khan, 50, was found guilty of the offence of rape committed on a child under the age of 16, by a jury at the High Court in Berbice yesterday, following a trial. The man is accused of committing the act on the then 13-year-old on September 29, 2014 in the Upper Corentyne.
Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry sentenced the man to life imprisonment. A probation report was not requested and the judge went immediately to sentencing.
Justice Sewnarine-Beharry told the man that a message has to be sent that such offences would not be tolerated. She said the court took the victim’s psychological and physical trauma into consideration when deciding on an appropriate sentence.
Justice Sewnarine-Beharry noted that Khan would be eligible for parole after serving some 35 years imprisonment.
He was represented by attorneys Arud Gossai and Surihya Sabsook.
Khan, who had pleaded not guilty, after hearing the sentence, begged reporters to “do something” for him.
In June 2016, the initial trial of the matter had stopped after it was reported that one juror was seen entering the same car as Khan.
