The High Court has acquitted a man of a seven-year-old rape charge, with the jury on Wednesday returning a unanimous not guilty verdict in his favour after deliberations.
Brian Albert, a boat operator in his late 30s, had been indicted for the offence of rape contrary to the Sexual Offences Act.
He had been accused of raping a woman on January 1, 2016, in the county of Essequibo.
He was on trial for the offence before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Demerara High Court.
At the start of his trial, Albert, who was represented by Attorney-at-Law Teriq Mohammed, had pleaded not guilty to the indictment. He had been out on bail pending his trial.
The virtual complainant had alleged that on New Year’s Day of 2016, she had gone to Albert’s sister’s home where she imbibed local wine and became intoxicated.
She had alleged that she then went to take a nap and was awakened by someone “pressing on her body” and noticed that it was Albert between her legs having sex with her against her will.
As such, she had alleged that she pushed him off of her and he pulled out his pants and ran out of the house. At the same time, she had claimed that Albert’s sister returned home, saw her lying naked on the bed, assaulted her, and chased her out of her house.
