A Forty-eight-year-old Mocha, East Bank Demerara, resident was, on Thursday, November 28, 2019, found guilty on four counts of rape by a 12-member jury at the Demerara High Court.

Jegede Hodge stood expressionless, in the prisoner docks, before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall, as the jury delivered their guilty verdicts.

The first indictment stated that between May 1, 2014 and May 31, 2014, in the county of Demerara, Hodge engaged in sexual penetration with a 13-year-old girl, a child who lived in the same house as he.

The second indictment stated that between September 1, 2014 and September 31, 2014, in the county of Demerara, Hodge engaged in sexual penetration with the same teen again.
The third indictment stated that between January 1, 2015, and January 31, 2015, in the county of Demerara, Hodge engaged in sexual penetration with the victim, when she was 14-years-old.

Lastly, the fourth indictment stated that between September 1, 2017, and September 31, 2017, in the county on Demerara, Hodge engaged in sexual penetration with the child, when she was 16 years old.

Attorney-at-law Ravindra Mohabir represented Hodge, while the state was represented by prosecutors Teriq Mohammed, Tuanna Hardy, and Nafeeza Baig.
Justice Morris-Ramlall deferred sentencing until December 12, 2019, when Hodge’s probation report will be available.

The victim’s impact statement was read in court by social worker Simone Gaskin.
The victim explained that the first time she was raped by Hodge, she wanted to commit suicide and began cutting herself.

However, on the second occasion when she was raped by Hodge she told her friends and begged them not to tell anybody.

She recalled being picked up from school by Hodge who took her to different location and raped her.

The victim stressed that at one time her brother saw what Hodge was doing to her, and he became traumatized. Persons in the village also knew what Hodge was doing and would harass her.

Nevertheless, according to the victim what hurt the most was her mother taking Hodge’s side and not her own daughter’s. The mother still shares a close bond with Hodge.