The smaller trial, in the absence of the jury, began after Kenroy Fraser, who is conducting his own defence, denied making the statement and alleged that he was beaten to make it.

The case for the Prosecution, presented last week by State Counsel Dionne McCammon, Dianna Boyan and Prithima Kissoon, surrounds the indictment which said Fraser committed the offence on an 11-year-old girl, also from West Bank Demerara, at knifepoint.

Police Sergeant Orin Cameron, who had arranged a confrontation between the accused and the victim, was about to tender the attestation attributed to Fraser, when the latter denied making it.