‘Jesus’ freed of seven counts of raping underage girl

Sahadeo Baichoo called ‘Jesus’ on Wednesday walked out of the Berbice High Court a free man after a 12-member jury found him not guilty of seven counts of rape.

Baichoo of Skeldon, Berbice was on trial before Justice Navindra Singh.  He had denied the seven charges which read that between March 2013 and December 2019, he engaged in sexual penetration with the victim.

Following the judge’s summation of the case on Wednesday morning, the 12-member jury retired to deliberate and returned some hours after with the verdict, finding Baichoo not guilty of the seven counts of rape.

He was represented by attorney-at-law Tuanna Hardy, while the state was represented by prosecutor Nafeeza Baig.

According to the prosecution’s case, Baichoo is known to the victim’s family and was a frequent visitor to their home, especially on Sundays when everyone was at church.

It is alleged that the victim would be left in his care and he would allegedly rape her.

However, Baichoo maintained that the victim and her family fabricated the story.

In his defense, Baichoo contends that he was even out of the jurisdiction on one of the occasions when the victim said she was allegedly raped.