Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall yesterday sentenced a young man to 18 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of rape of a minor but he will serve a maximum of 10 years.
Kevin Mahaica committed the act on four occasions during the months of October and December 2016. He was 17 years old at the time while the victim was 13 years old.
In handing down the sentence, the judge said she considered the nature and the gravity of the offence and the fact that Mahaica betrayed the trust of the victim and her family. She pointed out that the offence was committed not just on one occasion and the convict pleaded guilty to two charges. The judge said she also took into consideration the impact the crime has had on the child as was evident in the victim impact statement read to the court in which she said the acts left her scarred and troubled.
The appropriate sentence for the first offence, according to the judge, is 20 years, while for the second count, it is 22 years given the fact that it was a repetition. But, in sentencing, she considered the mitigating factors presented by Mahaica’s lawyer, which included his involvement in church since his incarceration and in the anger management programme the prison provides. The convict also graduated in the joinery course. In her estimation, the judge said, she also felt that the apology Mahaica offered to the victim was genuine. She also considered his time on remand and the fact that he was a young person when he committed the acts. The convict also received reductions because of the fact that he did not waste the court’s time.
In the end, Mahaica was sentenced to eight years in jail on the first count and ten years for the second. He would not be eligible for parole until he serves at least eight years. Both sentences will run concurrently, meaning Mahaica will spend 10 years in prison.
Mahaica was represented by attorney Maxwell McKay while prosecutor Sarah Martin represented the state.
