Bartica man gets 20 years for raping 12-yr-old girl

Jun 20, 2025 News

Kaieteur News – Jerome Rodriguez, 23, who was found guilty of the rape of a twelve-year-old girl, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The sentence was imposed by Justice Navindra Singh at the Essequibo High Court. The charge was that between the 1st and 30th days of June 2023, at Three Miles, Potaro Road, Bartica, in the country of Essequibo, the accused engaged in sexual penetration with a child of the age of 12 years.

The details of the case are that in June 2023, Rodriguez met the 12-year-old victim on Three Miles Road, Bartica and told her he wanted to speak with her. The young girl was in regular communication with the perpetrator over the phone, and she knew him from the community. At the time of the incident, he asked the girl to speak privately with him and called her into some bushes where he held her and forcefully had sex with her.

At his trial, Rodriguez had pleaded not guilty to the allegation. He was represented by attorneys Latchmi Dindyal and Paul Fung-a-Fat. State counsel, Caressa Henry, presented the case. In handing down the sentence, the Judge started with a prison term of 30 years but deducted 10 years for the fact that the accused had no prior brushes with the law. However, the prosecution noted that Rodrigues showed no remorse for his actions and that the sentence should be in keeping with the impact and nature of the offence committed. As a result, the convict was given 20 years in prison, which the court said will act as a deterrent to such a criminal act.

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Bartica, Essequibo High Court, Jerome Rodriguez, Latchmi Dindyal, Paul Fung-a-Fat, rape

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