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Taxi driver found guilty of raping girl, 12
Guilty: Sahadeo Pooran known as “Omesh.”
Kaieteur News – A 32-year-old taxi driver was unanimously found guilty of raping a 12-year-old girl at the Georgetown High Court, yesterday.
Sahadeo Pooran, known as “Omesh,” was on trial before Justice, Jo-Ann Barlow, and a mixed 12-member jury for the indictment, which stated that on September 27, 2019, he engaged in sexual penetration with a child, who is under the age of 16. Pooran had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge and was represented by attorney-at-law, Euclin Gomes, at his trial.
The case against him was presented by State Counsels, Sarah Martin and Nafeeza Baig.
According to the case, on September 27, 2019, the complainant (victim) left home early in the morning to get a taxi en route to the bus for school.
Sahadeo Pooran reportedly stopped his car and offered her a free drop. The 12-year-old claimed however that he picked up two other persons, dropped them off, and then took her to a house. She said she did not know who lived at that house, but the taxi driver held her by the hands and forced her into the house. She said she tried to loosen his grip, but could not. He locked her in the house and said he had to go pick up someone and drop them somewhere.
While he was gone, she tried to escape by window or door but all were tightly closed. She had said that she checked his tablet and learnt his name was Omesh Pooran.
The complainant said about an hour later Pooran returned, placed a mattress on the ground, pushed her on it, and then raped her. She claimed that before he let her go, he told her not to tell her teacher or anyone, just say that she was in an accident as a reason for running late to school.
She said that she went back onto the road and caught a bus to school. Upon arrival at school, the complainant said that she told the lie about the accident, but her teacher summoned her mother who visited the school. The complainant was further pressed to tell the truth after which she revealed what really happened.
After the jury delivered the unanimous guilty verdict yesterday, Justice Barlow, remanded Pooran to jail until March 24, 2021, when he will be sentenced. The Judge also ordered that a probation report be prepared before sentence is imposed.
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