–VC testifies

A Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the rape charge against promoter Colin Mack started yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court with the 19-year-old virtual complainant (VC) and another witness taking the stand.

Colin Mack

The PI is being conducted by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson, who will determine at its conclusion whether a prima facie case has been made out against Mack at which stage the indictable charge will either be sent to the High Court for trial or thrown out.

Mack’s lawyer Glenn Hanoman told Stabroek News that he had applied for bail for his client at the High Court on Wednesday, but it was denied since the PI was scheduled to start yesterday. He said the grounds for the bail application were that his client might have a lengthy trial and it would be unfair to keep him incarcerated for that length of time.

He again applied for bail for Mack at 3 pm at the magistrate’s court stating that if it were to be granted the cashier at the court would close operations at 3.30 pm. The magistrate then informed him that the cashier had closed at 2:30 pm. Hanoman argued again that his client would likely not have a speedy trial.

However, the magistrate refused the bail application and ordered that Mack be remanded to prison and that he return to court on Monday when the PI would continue.

When Mack appeared at the Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday he was not required to plead to the indictable charge of rape, which stated that on April 12, he had sexual intercourse with a 19-year-old girl without her consent.