Taxi driver convicted of rape of girl, 12
Guilty: Sahadeo Pooran called “Omesh.”
Kaieteur News – A 32-year-old taxi driver was unanimously convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl at Georgetown High Court, yesterday.
Sahadeo Pooran, known as “Omesh,” was on trial before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow, and a 12-member mixed jury for the indictment, who indicated that on September 27, 2019, he had sexually assaulted a child, and he was under 16 years old. Pooran had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge and was represented by his attorney-at-law, Euclin Gomes, in his case.
The case against him was brought by State Counsel, Sarah Martin and Nafeeza Baig.
According to the case, on September 27, 2019, the complainant (victim) left his home early in the morning to get a taxi on his way to the bus to school.
Sahadeo Pooran allegedly stopped his car and offered her a free discount. However, the 12-year-old claimed he picked up two other people, dropped them off, then took her to a house. She said she didn’t know who lived in that house, but the taxi driver caught her with her hands and forced her into the house. She said she tried to loosen her grip, but couldn’t. He locked her in the house and said he had to fetch someone and drop them somewhere.
While he was gone, he tried to escape by a window or door but all was closed tightly. She had said that she checked his tablet and learned that his name was Omesh Pooran.
The complainant said about an hour later Pooran returned, placed a mattress on the ground, pushed her on, and then raped her. She claimed before he let her go, he told her not to tell her teacher or anyone, just to say she was in an accident as a reason for running late for school.
She said she got back on the road and caught a bus to school. On arrival at the school, the complainant said she had lied about the accident, but her teacher summoned her mother who visited the school. The complainant was further pressed to tell the truth and subsequently revealed what had actually happened.
After the jury delivered the unanimous guilty verdict yesterday, Justice Barlow remanded Pooran to prison until March 24, 2021, when he will be sentenced. The Judge also ordered that a probation report be prepared before sentencing.