Hung jury: accused child rapist to be retried

The trial of Colin Bess, who had been charged with raping a 12-year-old child, ended in a hung-jury on Tuesday.

Bess, who has never been able to post bail, remains in prison as he awaits a retrial.

The allegation against him is that on April 2, 2013 at Demerara, he engaged in sexual penetration of a 12-year-old child.

He has pleaded not guilty to the indictment of rape of a child under 16 years.

The proceedings were held in-camera.

Bess was unrepresented by counsel. The state’s case was presented by Prosecutor Teshanna James-Lake before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the High Court in Georgetown.