A mixed jury on Friday afternoon found minibus driver Wazir Ali guilty of sexually penetrating a mentally ill seventeen- year old girl.

Ali, also known as  ‘Ali’, ‘Bucko’ or’ Electrician’, was found guilty by a jury vote of eleven to one at the Berbice High Court.

The charge read that he committed the offence between March 26  and April 7, 2015 in the County of Berbice , during which time he  engaged in sexual penetration with a the teenager without her consent.

The victim  attended church during the Easter holiday period  when Ali, who was  a driver attached to a religious organization , was tasked to transport members to their respective homes after the service ended.

But instead to dropping the teen off at her stop, Ali proceeded to take the other occupants to their homes before stopping the minibus in a desolate area where he requested to have intercourse with the victim.

She responded by slapping his face, even as he jumped from the front seat to where she was seated behind the driver’s seat. He then proceeded to commit the act.

It was until days later, during a one on one discussion with her teacher and other students, that the victim revealed what had transpired.The the matter was reported to the police and the charge was subsequently instituted.

In his defence, Ali claimed he was at Bartica visiting his grandmother and was working with an electrician at the time. The electrician disputed his testimony by producing his worker time book.

Presiding Judge Jo Ann Barlow, remanded Ali to prison  for three weeks until a probation report is available.