East Bank Berbice man acquitted at retrial in child rape case

A 36-year-old East Bank Berbice man has been acquitted of child rape charges following a retrial in the Berbice High Court, bringing to an end legal proceedings that began more than a decade ago.

Krishna Tulapersaud of Plegtanker Village had been accused of engaging in sexual activity and sexual penetration with a six-year-old girl during separate incidents in February 2013 and February 2014.

Tulapersaud was first tried before the Berbice High Court in 2018, where he was convicted on the charges and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was represented at that trial by Attorney-at-Law Charandas Persaud.

He subsequently appealed both his conviction and sentence. Represented by Attorney-at-Law Arudranauth Gossai, Tulapersaud successfully challenged the decision, with the Court of Appeal ordering that the matter be retried.

At the retrial before Justice Simone Morris, Tulapersaud pleaded not guilty to both charges.

The prosecution, led by State Prosecutor Marisa Edwards, called six witnesses, including a police officer, before closing its case.

Following the close of the prosecution’s evidence, the 12-member jury deliberated on the charge of engaging in sexual activity with a child and returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.

Justice Morris also upheld a no-case submission made by the defence in relation to the second charge of sexual penetration with a child, ruling that there was insufficient evidence for that count to proceed to the jury.

With the jury’s acquittal on the first charge and the second charge dismissed, Tulapersaud was formally acquitted and released from custody, bringing the case to a close after years of legal proceedings stemming from allegations made in 2013 and 2014.