Bus driver found not guilty of raping woman with disability

A 47-year-old minibus driver walked out of the Demerara High Court a free man on Friday after a 12-member jury found him not guilty of raping a 21-year-old woman with a disability.

Sherwin Reynolds of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara was on trial before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Demerara High Court.

The victim claimed that Reynolds on April 19, 2018, engaged in sexual penetration with her at a location on the East Bank of Demerara while she was a passenger in his minibus.

The court heard that Reynolds took the woman to a lonely area while she was the lone passenger in the bus and raped her. Reynolds had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Following the judge’s summation of the case on Friday morning, the 12-member jury retired to deliberate and returned some hours after with the unanimous not guilty verdict.

After hearing the verdict, Reynolds broke down in tears as he thanked God for the decision.

The State was represented by prosecutors Paneeta Persaud, Cicelia Corbin and Caressa Henry while Reynolds was represented by attorney-at-law Tariq Mohammed.

Reynolds was charged in September 2018 and was subsequently committed to stand trial before a jury the following year.  He was out on $250,000 bail.