Sherwin Leitch on Wednesday (February 13, 2019) exited the Demerara High Court a free man after a 12-member jury found him not guilty of the 2016 rape of a child under age 16 years old.

After hours of deliberations, the foreman returned with a unanimous not-guilty verdict after which, Justice Jo-Ann Barlow informed the accused that he could step out the box and leave, since the jury found him not guilty.

The matter was held in the Sexual Offences Court. The trial took about three days in which, according to the state’s case, it was alleged that on August 27, 2016, in the county of Demerara, Sherwin Leitch engaged in sexual penetration of a child under age 16 years old. The girl was only 14 years old at the time of the alleged incident.

The state was represented by Lisa Cave, Seeta Bishundial and Sarah Martin while the defence attorney was Ravindra Mohabir.