FORTY-TWO-year-old Linden Isaacs of Belfield, East Coast, Demerara was yesterday found not guilty of rape allegedly committed on a 16-year-old girl.The accused, who was represented by Attorney-at-law Leslie Sobers, had pleaded not guilty to the allegation that he had had sex with a girl under the age of 16 years. The prosecution had called nine witnesses and the defence had called one.

The jury’s not-guilty verdict suggested its members had accepted the defence’s version of events or were in doubt about the events that had transpired.

The prosecution had begun its case last Friday, and had, at the close, submitted that it had made out a case against the accused; but the defence had thought otherwise and had claimed that the prosecution had not proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Madam Justice Priya Seunaraine-Beharry had presided over the trial. Prosecuting personnel were: Miss Tuanna Hardy, Miss Stacy Goodings and Miss Orenthia Schmidt.