Jury acquits rape accused

May 31, 2018 Court Stories, News

FREED: Abraham Browne

A young man was yesterday given a new lease on life after a 12-member mixed jury found him not guilty of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2016.
Abraham Browne was accused of engaging in sexual penetration with the young girl on August 28, 2016 in the County of Demerara. After almost two hours of deliberation, the jury returned with a unanimous not guilty verdict.
Consequently, trial Judge Jo Ann Barlow, informed Browne that he was free to go, but not before giving him a stern warning.
The judge told the man that he is a young man and might sometimes it take instances like these for granted. The judge advised him to make the most out of life.
Noting that excessive alcohol consumption led to Browne being placed before the courts for the offence, the Judge said that persons should not consume alcohol to the extent where they cannot take control of their actions or recollect what they have done.
Informing Browne that she was not speaking to him as a judge but as a mother to a son, the judge urged him to be of good example to his children in the future. At the announcement of the verdict by the foreman, Browne’s mother who was seated in the courtroom wept. She later reached out to her son and hugged him uncontrollably.
Browne was represented by Attorney-at-law Adrian Thompson. State Counsel Abigail Gibbs and State Counsel Tiffini Lyken presented the indictment on behalf of the state.