NA man found guilty of raping disabled teen

A New Amsterdam man, who was on trial for the rape of 17-year-old disabled girl, was found guilty at the High Court in Berbice yesterday.

By a majority of 11 to 1, the jury found Wazir Ali, of Burmine Housing Scheme, New Amsterdam, guilty of the crime.

Ali was charged with raping the girl, then 17, in early April, 2015.

Prosecutrix Tuanna Hardy called a total of five witnesses, while the defence, led by attorney Charandass Persaud, called two witnesses.

The defence’s case was that the accused was at work during the month of April, hence he was not around to have committed the act. However, his employer testified and said that the accused only started to work in the second week of April.

Justice Jo-Ann Barlow, who presided over the trial, ordered a probation report, which is to be presented on August 27th, after which Ali is expected to be sentenced.