Bail was yesterday granted to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Andre Kellman after he was formally charged with sexually assaulting an airport employee just over a year ago.
Kellman was brought before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates Courts, where the charge was read to him during an in-camera hearing.
The charge alleges that on July 30th, 2018, at Timehri, East Bank Demerara, Kellman touched a woman by kissing her, without her consent.
Kellman, of Lot 67 Craig Street, Campbellville, was later granted his release on $70,000 bail.
He is expected to make his next court appearance on August 27th.
The Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) last week announced that based on the evidence gathered from the police investigation, legal advice had been given for the charge of sexual assault to be instituted against Kellman.
His accuser filed a report with the police on June 17th this year, after she said no action was taken on complaints made to the airport’s management.
The CJIA’s management, in a subsequent press statement, had announced on the evening of June 18th that a senior manager had “proceeded on leave to make way for an ongoing police investigation,” while adding that the complainant’s security credentials were also withdrawn.
It said the action followed the opening of a police investigation based on the report by the complainant. “The alleged incident… was previously investigated by airport management. At the time, there was no evidence found for further action to be taken,” the statement had said.
The CJIA’s management had also said that Kellman was sent on leave in order to facilitate the probe.
The airport had indicated its commitment to ensuring a “safe working environment for all employees and all persons who work at and use the airport” and added that in light of the recent incident, steps were being taken to strengthen the existing protocols.
In late June, the CJIA announced the commencement of its interventions designed to tackle the issue of sexual harassment and assault in the workplace.
