Sixty-six-year-old pensioner Abdool Jamil has been found guilty on two counts of child rape by a 12-member jury at the Sexual Offences Court on Monday afternoon.
After deliberating for almost four hours, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on the first count; which stated that Jamil had sexually penetrated the underage girl on May 30, 2014 at a West Coast Demerara village. A jury verdict in proportion of 10-2 found him guilty on the second count; which accused him of committing a similar act days after the first had been committed, on June 2, 2014.
Jamil, who had been on bail prior to being found guilty, did not have much reaction to the jury verdicts. However, when he exited the court, he bowed his head away from the cameras. The girl whom he raped was 10 years old at the time of the incidents, and allegedly was known to him.
According to the facts of the case, the child’s mother had travelled to attend a funeral in Linden and had left her young child in the care of a female relative. Jamil, however, dishonestly informed this female relative that the child’s mother had instructed that the child be left in his care.
It is understood that on the night on May 30, 2014, when the child was sleeping under his care, he raped her. The child allegedly stayed with him until June 2, 2014, and he proceeded to sexually penetrate her again. However, after the second occurrence, the girl ran away to relatives and detailed to them what had transpired. Thus Jamil was arrested and charged.
His case came up before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at court last week, and the matter was concluded on Monday. However, the offender’s sentencing has been delayed because his lawyer, Clyde Forde, has asked that a probation report be prepared and presented to the court.
The judge has allowed the request and has adjourned the matter to August 13, 2018 for presentation of the said report, after which the pensioner will be sentenced.
Jamil has been remanded to prison. State Counsel Lisa Cave presented the prosecution’s case over the last several days.
