KELVIN Lanserman on Monday walked out the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court a free man after a 12-member jury found him not guilty of allegedly engaging in sexual penetration with a 21-year-old woman.

The 27-year-old looked relieved when the verdict was announced and he was told by Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall that he was free to go.

State Prosecutor, Lisa Cave, told the court that on October 22, 2014 at Ruby Backdam, East Bank Essequibo, he offered to drop the young woman who is known to him, at her baby-sitter to drop off her child.

Cave said it was about 21:50hrs on the night in question that Lanserman took the woman to the location, after which she dropped her child. When she came out she noticed that Lanserman was still waiting on the road and she re-entered the car after he told her he was going her way and he would drop her off.

The prosecutor added that when Lanserman drove off he locked the doors, while she was seated in the back seat of the vehicle. The court heard that at this point the young woman observed that Lanserman was going in the opposite direction and he started to verbally abuse her. The 21-year-old requested to be put off but her pleas went unanswered and Lanserman, she alleged, took off his pants after which he choked her by the neck. Cave said the suspect then opened the car door and she tried to escape but he dragged her to the car and took out his penis.

At this point, Cave told the court that Lanserman reportedly choked her for a second time and forced her to perform oral sex on him. The woman reported that the suspect, after she did the act, ejaculated in her mouth and forced her to perform oral sex again during which he was masturbating. Cave said the suspect then took out his cell phone and viewed pornography videos and ordered the mother of one to perform oral sex on him for the third time. It is alleged that Lanserman then had vaginal sex with her against her will.

The accused was represented by Melvin Duke in the case, which started last week Tuesday after a 12-member jury was empaneled. The jury took a few hours to return with a unanimous verdict of not guilty.