Corentyne man appeals life sentence for raping girl, 13

Jan 13, 2019 News

Mohamed HIfizullah Khan, who was recently sentenced to life in jail after being found guilty of raping a 13-year-old has appealed his conviction.
Khan, 50, of No 77 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, who was sentenced by Justice Priya Sewnarine Beharry in the Berbice High Court will have to serve 35 years before he is eligible for parole.
He was accused of engaging in sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16 years. The act was committing on September 29, 2014 in a village in the Upper Corentyne.
The child reportedly knew Khan for about three years before the incident. He sold movie discs in front of his home.
On the day in question she was sent on an errand by her mother. As she was passing the accused home he called out to her and offered her a pair of shoes which he said he was giving away. She refused, but asked him if he had a movie disc to sell.

Sentenced to life rape accused Mohamed KHan

He answered in the affirmative and told her she had to enter the house. She stood by the door and Khan pulled her by her hair into the house, locked the door pulled down her pants, took a knife and cut off her underwear.
He then pulled off her top, cut off her brassiere. He held a knife to her neck covered her mouth and raped her. He committed the act twice.
The girl reported to her mother and the police were informed. She was examined by a doctor and Khan was arrested and charged.
Khan, through attorney at law Mursalene Bacchus, is appealing on a number of grounds including that –

The verdict was un-reasonable and cannot be supported having regard to the evidence, he argued.
That Inadmissible evidence prejudicial to a fair trial was wrongly admitted. The Defence of the Appellant was not properly put to the jury. The summing up was un-balanced in favour of the prosecution and that the Sentence was unduly severe among other grounds, Bacchus argued.