Parika rape accused placed on $150,000 bail

The man accused of brutally raping a 21-year-old mother of one was yesterday granted $150,000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magis-trate’s Court.

Kelvin Lanferman, of Parika, East Bank Essequibo, is accused of raping the young woman on November 22, at the Parika Backdam.

He will make his second court appearance on February 19, 2015.

Lanferman, a former employee of the Transport & Harbours Department (T&HD), was fired after he was accused of raping the young woman.

The woman had related how she was battered and bruised and there was evidence of the man’s semen on her body when she escaped from his car and sought refuge from a patrol from the Parika Police Station. She was fearful that the crime committed against her may have not seen the light of day because of the fact that the man has a relative in the police force and a senior functionary at the T&HD had suggested that the matter be “worked out.” In addition, she was concerned at the manner in which she was treated by the policewoman investigating the report and, more importantly, that the police made her do two medicals—one right after the incident and the second after she would have taken a bath.