38 years jail for raping woman

Odingo Emmanuel called ‘Dingo’ was on Monday sentenced to serve 38 years, five months for raping a 36-year-old woman at the Imbaimadai Landing, Upper Mazaruni River in 2018.

Emmanuel, 48, was sentenced by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Suddie High Court. He will become eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 30 years.

In December 2021, a 12-member jury found Emmanuel guilty of raping the woman on August 11, 2018. The State was represented by prosecutor Tiffini Lyken.

During the sentencing hearing on Monday, a probation report in Emmanuel’s favour of was presented to the court.

According to the report, residents of Imbaimadai community said when the convict imbibes, he is known for committing similar crimes.

According to the report, Emmanuel did not express remorse for his actions and maintained that he is innocent.

Meanwhile, the victim’s impact statement, which was also read in court, detailed how the incident affected her. The victim said that now she is traumatised and the incident has left a “stigma” on her.

Additionally, in a plea of mitigation, Emmanuel’s s attorney Lachmi Dindayal, told the court that his client is a first-time offender and can be rehabilitated.

The judge, before imposing the sentence, considered the rape was premeditated by Emmanuel, who had unprotected sex with the victim and could have exposed her to Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs.)

She also considered the psychological trauma Emmanuel put the victim through, for which he showed no remorse.

As such, the Judge sentenced Emmanuel to 38 years and five months imprisonment.

According to reports, on the day in question, the victim was out with her friends at a club; when she returned home, she saw the door was broken and upon checking, she found Emmanuel in her bedroom.

It is alleged that Emmanuel threw the woman on the floor and raped her. The victim fought back and dug her fingernails into Emmanuel and screamed for help.

Four minutes into the act, the victim’s reputed husband came home and grabbed Emmanuel but he managed to escape from the house.

A report was made to the police and Emmanuel was arrested and charged. Emmanuel was a close friend of the couple.