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