Another rape accused freed as…

Victim declines to lead further evidence

For the second time in two weeks, the court has freed a rape accused because of the victim’s unwillingness to lead further evidence.

Yesterday, the case against Linden Goppy, 31, of D’Urban Street, Lodge, who was charged with rape, buggery and committing an indecent act, was called in the Supreme Court before Justice Winston Patterson for the first time, and was dismissed because the victim claimed that she could not go through with it and that God would take care of the accused.

She told the court that she is a University of Guyana student and that she is also seven months’ pregnant.
According to her, she went through a lot physiologically, mentally and emotionally, and does not want to go through with the matter.

The particulars of the charges state that Goppy had carnal knowledge of the complainant without her consent, committed buggery and an indecent act against her with intent to insult or offend her on November 24, 2005.

The matter was heard before Magistrate Oneidge Walrond-Allicock, who had committed Goppy to stand trial in the High Court on March 7, 2007.

Last week, the case against 32-year-old Samuel Archer, who was charged with three counts of carnal knowledge and one count of buggery committed against his niece, was also dismissed after the victim refused to offer evidence against him.

According to the victim’s evidence during the preliminary inquiry in the Magistrates’ Court, Archer first began molesting her when she was 12 years old.

The girl, now 17 years old, became pregnant in 2007 for Archer, and he was subsequently charged with carnally knowing a girl under the age of 15 years and went through the court procedures in the Magistrates’ Court, after which he was committed to stand trial in the High Court.

Last week Tuesday, when the trial came up for the first time in the Supreme Court before Justice Patterson, the victim, under oath, said that she did not wish to offer any evidence against her uncle, since he is her only source of income.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008