A 43-year-old construction worker accused of raping an eight-year-old girl in January of last year has been acquitted of the charge.
Following hours of deliberations yesterday afternoon, a 12-member jury, on the first count, unanimously found Ezra Percival not guilty of sexually penetrating the child.
On the second count, however, for engaging in sexual activity with the same child, the jury was divided, and returned a not guilty verdict in the proportion of 10 to 2.
The allegation against the former accused was that between January 1st and 27th, 2022 in Demerara, he sexually penetrated the child and also engaged in sexual activity with her.
The trial proceedings were held in-camera before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Sexual Offences Court of the High Court in Georgetown.
Percival was represented by defence attorney Adrian Thompson. The State was represented by Prosecutor Rbina Christmas.
