A corporal in the Guyana Defence Force was yesterday remanded to prison when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with raping a girl under the age of 16.
Anthony Hunte, 29, of 610 Block 22, Wismar, Linden stood expressionless in the dock of the court and was told that he was not required to plead to the indictable charge of rape when Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson read it to him.
He is accused of having carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16 on June 9 in the Berbice area.
Asked by the magistrate whether he had anything to say, Hunte claimed that he and the teen had known each other intimately for over a year. He said he had promised the teen $25,000 and after being intimate with her in a boat near his army’s base on June 9, he told her that he did not have any money.
He said he told her afterwards that he would withdraw the money from his account at a bank but “she jus walk away.”
Hunte said he went to the washroom at the army’s base and when he got back outside he observed the teen talking to his Sergeant.
He said that a short while after this he was instructed by the same Sergeant to “pack and wait”. He said he ended up at the police station where he was informed about the accusation.
He said he had not known that the teen had told the Sergeant that he had raped her.
However, Police Prosecutor Denise Griffith stated that on the day in question, Hunte had been hiding in a clump of bushes and as the teen was passing he jumped out, grabbed her and said, “wha happen to duh ting yuh promise meh.”
Griffith said he then held the teen down and raped her.
She said when Hunte freed the teen she immediately ran to his Sergeant and related what had happened.
She said the Sergeant called the Headquarters at Camp Ayanganna and explained what had transpired.
Griffith said Hunte was later taken to the police station where he “try fuh play mad” by attempting to jump through a window.
The magistrate subsequently ordered that Hunte be remanded to prison and the matter be transferred to the Kwakwani Magistrate’s Court for July 17.
