AN unrepresented Rohan Daniels called “Shine Buck” was on Wednesday afternoon sentenced to life sentences which will run concurrently for two counts of the rape of a child family member.

He will serve 40 years before he is eligible for parole. The jury foreman told the court that on the first count they found the accused guilty in the proportion of 11-1. On the second count the jury was hung after they arrived at a proportion of 9-3, on the third count the jury arrived at a unanimous verdict of not guilty and on the fourth count they arrived at a guilty verdict in the proportion of 10-2. The sentence was handed down later Wednesday afternoon by Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall in the Georgetown High Court, after a 12-member jury had deliberated for more than two hours before they arrived at the verdict.

The accused, who was not represented by an attorney, chose to represent himself during the trial which was held in the Sexual Offences Court. Before the sentences were imposed by the trial judge, the accused was asked to address the court and he said, “I am not guilty of this act, that’s all.”
Justice Morris-Ramlall in handing down the life sentences told the court that she considered the nature of the offences and circumstances under which the acts were committed. The judge said that the accused violated his relative while her mother was at work and betrayed his position of trust on numerous occasions when the mother walked in while he was committing the act and on another occasion the accused did the deed when the child was asleep.
As such, the judge imposed the maximum sentence of life imprisonment after she recognised there was no basis to exercise mercy, adding that the accused failed to show remorse.
Daniels was indicted for four counts of sexual activity with a child family member.

First Count
It is alleged that between April 12 and April 13, 2014, the accused engaged in sexual activity with a child. She was 10 years old then.
Second Count
It is alleged that between April 13, 2014 and July 22, 2016, he engaged in sexual activity with a child. She was 11 years old at the time.
Third Count
Between April 13, 2014 and July 22, 2016 it is alleged he engaged in sexual activity with a child who was 11 and 12 years old then.
Fourth Count
It is alleged that on July 23, 2016, the accused engaged in sexual activity with the child who was only 13 years old. The accused lived in the same household with the victim.

Denise Joseph who read out a statement in court on behalf of the victim, stated that since the sexual abuse the girl’s life has changed and she has begun to experience nightmares re-living the incidents. As such, she cannot focus on her school work and is uneasy around men in general and is unable to feel happy since she often wondered what her life will be, if she will be able to have children and get married.

The victim related that she feels suicidal and would often cut herself with a razor blade and have the feeling of becoming violent and is ‘jumpy’. She added that she used to sleep with a lot of clothes on since the incidents because she does not want a repeat of what happened to her.
The victim said she wants the accused to feel the pain she is going through and he should pay for what he did to her; he should be able to see people’s children and leave them alone.
The victim however, asked that the judge jail the accused, since her life is messed up and she realises that she will never be normal again.