Gingish Khan who was last month convicted by a jury for raping a 9-year-old girl, was yesterday morning sentenced to 29 years behind bars by Justice Brassington Reynolds at the Georgetown Sexual Offences Court.
Following his conviction for having committed the act, his sentence had been deferred to facilitate the presentation of a probation report and a victim impact statement from the virtual complainant (VC).
In the tearful testimony from the now 21-year-old young woman, who herself addressed the court yesterday, she spoke of often being plagued by thoughts of taking her own life, but said that she uses her involvement in church as a means of coping and forgetting about the assault.
“I felt hurt, ashamed and embarrassed she told the court, noting that many people in the village talked about what had happened to her, which caused her to eventually leave the area.
Recalling what she described as the “good” relationship Khan had had with her and her family and as someone she had known her entire life, the VC said that she respected and trusted him.
Stating that she is still haunted by the flashbacks of what has happened to her, the young woman told the judge that she wanted justice and to see the convict “locked up” so that he would be unable to hurt anyone else.
Meanwhile, calling Khan’s actions “sinful,” among other things, senior Probation and Social Services Officer Zola Cameron-Lubin said that he needed to be removed from society as a means of protecting other persons from his acts.
Highlighting the man’s maintenance of innocence for which she said he related in no uncertain terms he would be expressing no remorse, notwithstanding the jury’s unanimous verdict against him, Cameron-Lubin said it was a demonstration of his selfish desire in having committed the repugnant act.
Against this background, she said that the court was duty-bound to send a clear message to potential offenders that such acts would not be condoned and that offenders will be condignly dealt with by the law.
The probation officer said that interviews with members of the community revealed Khan to be generally a pleasant person, except on the occasions he drinks and becomes drunk, thereafter behaving badly.
She stressed that adults are supposed to be protectors of every child, but instead Khan used his position of trust to violate the child and refuses to take responsibility for his actions, still stating that he has no knowledge of the offence.
Noting that the VC would have been violated in the “vilest of ways,” and is still trying to cope as was evident from her “painful and emotional” address to the court, Justice Reynolds told Khan that it in no way helped him that he refused to take responsibility for his actions, nor show an iota of remorse for what he had done.
The judge expressed sentiments voiced by the probation officer that Khan had abused a position of trust, not only that the child reposed in him, but her entire family as well.
“You groomed and violated her in the vilest of ways. Hopefully you haven’t scarred her for life,” Justice Reynolds said.
He then ordered that the complainant continues receiving counselling services from her various support organisations.
Having considered all the circumstances, the 29-year prison sentence was imposed on the offender.
A 12-member jury had unanimously convicted Khan on charges of carnally knowing a girl under the age of 15. Additionally, he was found guilty on three counts of indecently assaulting the child.
The offences all occurred in August of 2008.
Presenting the state’s case against the convict were prosecutors Seeta Bishundial and Lisa Cave.
Khan, meanwhile, was represented by defence attorney Ravindra Mohabir.
