MINIBUS driver Inteaz Mohamed, called “Uncle Shameer”, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for raping a 15-year-old schoolgirl, has moved to the Appeal Court to have his conviction and sentence overturned.

In July, Mohamed, 44, was sentenced by Justice Brassington Reynolds at the Sexual Offences Court of the Demerara High Court after a jury found him guilty on two counts of engaging in sexual penetration with the victim during September 2014 and January 2015.

The judge had sentenced Mohamed to 25 years on each count, which will run concurrently.

In his appeal documents, the convict claimed that the trial judge erred in law, and is contending that the sentencing was excessive, and too severe. As such, he is asking the court to reserve and/or set aside his conviction and sentence.

Mohamed, in his defence, had contended that he is unable to perform sexual activities due to a surgery he did in April 2014 for hernia. He stated that he is being framed, since the victim’s story was fabricated by her brother.

Mohamed further claimed that he would only transport primary school pupils to school, and not students from secondary school like the victim.

According to reports, Mohamed operated a minibus, and would transport the victim along with other children to school. He would also pick them up in the evening from lessons. Mohamed is said to be known to the victim and her family.

The case against the convict was that during September 2014, he picked up the teen in his motorcar, and while taking her home, he took her through a bushy area at Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara and raped her.

Before dropping her home, he threatened to kill her if she reported the matter to the police. The victim became afraid, and did not report the matter to the police.

In January 2015, Mohamed raped her again. After this incident, the victim was picked up after lessons by her brother. During this time, Mohamed managed to acquire the teen’s cellphone number and would harass her.

During February 2018, it was said that Mohamed visited the victim’s home, and handed her several letters. Before leaving, he told her not to tell anyone what was written in the letters, or else he would shoot her.

The victim, however, confided in her brother about being raped by Mohamed, and showed him the letters as evidence. The matter was reported to the police, and Mohamed was arrested.