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May 15, 2019 News
A local musical composer is counting his lucky stars. He was acquitted of a rape charge at the High Court yesterday.
Cliff Semple was found not guilty of rape by a mixed 12-member jury at the Sexual Offences Court of the Georgetown High Court. He had been charged with rape of a female on August 9, 2016.
Semple had pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was represented by Attorney- at -law, Adrian Thompson. The case against him was presented by a team of State Attorneys including Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Tiffany Lyken.
However, after deliberating on the evidence presented in the case, the mixed panel returned to the courtroom with a unanimous verdict of not guilty.
Justice Brassington Reynolds, who presided over the case, had a few choice words for the accused before setting him free.
The Judge noted that although the jury has pronounced a verdict, only God knows what really took place in August 2016.
“And he will judge us all in the fullness of time… You should nonetheless count your lucky stars. You came very close to a sentence of life imprisonment. You should live now to please your [Creator] whosoever you perceive him to be.”
Justice Reynolds advised the man further to live a life which serves his community and family. The Judge also lobbied for the complainant in the case to receive some form of counseling and help. The court was previously informed that Semple composed music with his daughter—he was credited for lyrics to the song surrounding the ‘Pope London’ scandal.
The judge also advised Semple to place thought in his music as an artiste.
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