Jury finds Zeelugt man not guilty of raping girl, 13

A 27-year-old businessman walked out of the Demerara High Court a free man Thursday after a jury acquitted him of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2012.

Romal Jewan of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo was on trial before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow; he was acquitted after 11 members of the jury returned with a not guilty verdict while one member held out that he was guilty.

Justice Jo-Ann Barlow, who sits at the Sexual Offences Court accepted the proportionate verdict. Jewan was on trial for allegedly raping the child on September 7, 2012, in the county of Essequibo.

In October 2019, Jewan made his first High Court appearance before Justice Morris-Ramlall, however, during that trial, the jury was unable to reach a verdict and Jewan had to face another trial before Justice Barlow.