Gavin Assanah is now awaiting sentencing after a jury convicted him of raping a 12-year-old girl on two occasions back in 2014 and 2015.
Following hours of deliberations, the 12-member panel returned majority verdicts, finding Assanah guilty as charged on both counts of rape of a child under 16 years of age.
On the first count, it found Assanah guilty of sexually penetrating the child between August 1st and 31st, 2014.
Jurors would then go on to find that he again raped the child mere months after – on January 26th, 2015.
On both counts, the panel returned a majority verdict of 11 to 1.
Presiding Judge, Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall, has deferred sentencing to October 24th, to first hear from a probation and other social impact reports.
In light of what the Judge said was Assanah’s smiling demeanour throughout the trial, she also ordered that he undergoes psychological evaluation.
The trial proceedings were held in-camera at the Sexual Offences Court of the High Court in Demerara.
Assanah was represented by defence attorney Euclin Gomes.
The State was represented by prosecutors Ciceila Corbin, Caressa Henry and Paneeta Persaud.
