Accused in rape of 14-year-old freed after hung jury

A man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl walked out of the High Court a free man yesterday, after a jury was unable to arrive at a verdict on his guilt.

Joel De Souza appeared visibly relieved when Justice Jo-Ann Barlow told him that there was a hung jury and that he was free to go.

She, however, cautioned that he would be notified should the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) order a retrial.

The charge against De Souza was that in January, 2014, at Parika, East Bank Essequibo, he sexually penetrated a girl under the age of 16. The girl was 14 at the time of the alleged rape.

The jury was split by a proportion of eight to four. When asked, the foreman indicated that the panel required no further assistance from the court, as each juror was resolute on his/her respective stance.

The case was prosecuted by attorney Mandel Moore. De Souza, meanwhile, was represented by attorney Ganesh Hira.

The trial was conducted in-camera at the High Court in Georgetown.