Magistrate Fazil Azeez yesterday granted bail in the sum of $250,000 to the former Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) President Colwyn King who is charged with carnal knowledge of a girl under 15 years of age.

Colwyn King

King, who was represented by attorney-at-law- Mark Waldron, appeared relieved when he was told that his bail application was being granted. It was his third appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The Preliminary Inquiry into the matter is scheduled to commence on December 7. Waldron, at his last court hearing, had applied for bail on the grounds that if released his client would not tamper with the teen and that he posed no risk of flight. However, Prosecutor Vishnu Hunte had objected to the bail application on the grounds of the seriousness of the offence and that King may not return to court for his trial if released. The prosecutor added that he may tamper with the witnesses in the case.

The magistrate at that time had ordered that King be remanded to prison and had requested to speak to the teen and her parents before making a definitive decision on the bail application for the next court hearing into the case. When the teen and her parents failed to make an appearance at the court yesterday, the magistrate placed King on bail.  He had noted that he did want the matter to be “drawn-out” and said that his court will tackle the case promptly.