BISHOP Joseph Persaud was on Thursday committed to stand trial at the High Court for allegedly raping one of his female church members at his Diamond, East Bank Demerara, home.

Persaud, 32, who is currently out on $350,000 bail was on trial before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Persaud was represented by attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, while evidence was led by police prosecutor Richard Harris.
According to reports, the 22-year-old victim had once shared a relationship with Persaud, but ended it after his wife found out. It is alleged that even after the relationship was halted, Persaud who is the Bishop of a church in Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, kept calling the woman’s phone and stalking her.

It is further reported that Persaud during the month of October, 2017, invited the woman to his home for ‘counselling’ and he allegedly raped her.
Reports say that while Persaud was arrested and placed in custody at the Diamond Police Station, he called the victim’s phone to persuade her to drop the charge.

The telephone recording was released by HGPTV Nightly News and the Bishop could be heard telling the victim: “Would you come to the station and drop this matter? I will let go of you… There is no more me and you any more. You can go your way for free. I’ll make a paper with the JP today; I will no longer call you or look in your direction…not even a text or a message to you.”

He pleaded with the victim to drop the charge, since it was damaging his reputation.