For the October Criminal Assizes, 84 sexual offences cases were dealt with by the High Court, according to figures released by the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
In its end-of-year press release, the DPP’s Chambers revealed that at the Demerara October 2019 Criminal Assizes, State Counsel Tuanna Hardy, Teriq Mohammed and Nafeeza Baig presented 16 sexual offences cases in the Sexual Offences Court before Justice Simone Ramlall.
Two of these cases were for Rape, nine for the offence of Rape of a Child under 16 years, and one each for Sexual Activity with a Child under 16 years, Sexual Activity with a Child Family Member, Carnal Knowledge of a girl under 15 years, Incest by Male, Buggery and Indecently Assaulting another Male.
The release said that in five of these matters, the accused were found unanimously guilty by jury verdicts. Three of them were respectively sentenced to five years, 20 years and 18 years imprisonment. Another man who was indicted on two counts for Rape of Child under 16 years and Sexual Activity with a Child under 16 years, was sentenced to 15 years on the first count and seven years on the second count; his sentences will run concurrently. The person who was indicted on four counts for Sexual Activity with A Child Family Member, was found unanimously guilty on all counts and was sentenced to a total of 85 years imprisonment.
The release observed that in two other matters, the juries failed to reach a verdict and returned hung. In another two matters, the accused were acquitted by jury verdicts of not guilty.
The DPP release said that in four other cases, the complainants failed to attend court and the trial judge directed the juries to return formal verdicts of not guilty. Three cases were aborted.
Meanwhile, 12 cases were nolle prosequi (will no longer prosecute) by the DPP; these 12 cases were for sexual offences. In five of the cases, the complainants indicated in written statements that they did not wish to proceed with their matters while another seven complainants could not be located.
Meantime, at the Berbice October Criminal Assizes, which continues until 3rd February 2020, there were two sexual offences matters. Both were for the offence of Rape of a Child under 16 years. In one of the matters, the accused was found unanimously guilty by a jury verdict; he is due to be sentenced today. In the second matter, the complainant gave sworn testimony that she did not wish to proceed with her matter and the trial judge directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty, the release said.
At the Essequibo October Criminal Assizes, three sexual offences matters have been heard. In one of the matters, the accused was acquitted by the jury; while in the other two matters, the complainants testified in court that they did not wish to proceed with their cases and the trial judge directed the juries to return formal verdicts of not guilty. The Essequibo Criminal Sessions remains in progress, the release noted.
Meanwhile, the release said that during 2019, the DPP’s Chambers appeared in 30 matters in the Court of Appeal of which 12 were for sexual offences.
Further, the release said that the Chambers gave legal advice in 3,725 files received from the Guyana Police Force and other law enforcement agencies.
