AN ACCUSED rapist was freed also of indecent assault and abduction charges, after the alleged victim absented herself from the Supreme Criminal Court in New Amsterdam, Berbice, yesterday.

Consequently, Justice Dawn Gregory-Barnes instructed the twelve-member jury to formally return a not guilty verdict, prior to discharging Guru Jagnarine.
Addressing him in the dock, the judge said: “These are three very serious charges against you. You have heard that a relative of the victim said she does not wish to pursue the matter. These charges do not go beyond an allegation, as the virtual complainant did not testify. I have no choice but to discharge you.”
Earlier, the mother of the virtual complainant told the Court that her daughter is a married mother of one and is, currently, living in Trinidad.
She has since moved on with her life and did not wish to pursue the case, the woman attested.
State Prosecutor Diana Koulesar had led the evidence of Police witnesses Doreen Adonis, Indramattie Harold and Ryan Caesar, who related the various roles they played in the investigations.
The investigators revealed that, on April 17, 2007, the then 19-year-old was walking along Belvedere Public Road, Corentyne, when the accused, who was in a motor car and had a gun, pulled her into the vehicle.
The teenager was, allegedly, taken to his Rose Hall Town home by the accused where she was confined in a room until May 31, 2007.

SEXUAL ASSAULTS
During that period, it was alleged that she was subjected to several bouts of sexual assaults on her person. She was made to bathe in a sink and relieve herself of body waste in a ‘tennie’.
According to her deposition, persons were paid to ensure that she did not escape but she managed to  free herself after the accused left to do stock taking at his pharmacy and his lookout was distracted.
Seizing the opportunity, she fled to Rose Hall Police Outpost on May 31, 2007, where she made a report.
She had previously been employed, as a salesgirl, by the accused, who is a pharmacist. However, she left the job, after being subjected to several sexual advances and was employed at ‘R and S’ Supermarket’ when she was abducted.
Jagnarine had been indicted on three counts of rape, indecent assault and abduction with intent to wrongfully confine a person and pleaded not guilty to all.