FOLLOWING his confession to raping a nine-year-old girl in July 2022, a mason has been sentenced to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 18 years before he can be considered for parole.

Demerara High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon, who denounced 40-year-old Orland Roberts’ criminal deed with strong adjectives like “vile” and “abominable,” imposed the jail sentence on Thursday.

The state’s case against Roberts was that on July 4, 2022, while he was at the nine-year-old’s residence, he sexually penetrated her while she was asleep.
Both the victim who awoke during the assault and her younger sister, who saw the assault, gave testimony regarding what Roberts had done.

Justice Kissoon emphasised in his sentencing statement the extreme seriousness of the offence and the judiciary’s steadfast resolve to address it head-on as he delivered a blistering reprimand to Roberts.

He pointed out that, in addition to murder and treason, rape is regarded as a terrible crime.  In addition to calling Roberts a “predator” and stating that the incidence of rape against minors is reaching a crisis level, the Judge made it clear that the courts will not tolerate those who perpetrate such heinous crimes against innocent children.

Recounting the evidence, Justice Kissoon said that Roberts had attacked the young girl while she was asleep and that he had continued his nasty actions for gratification even after he had awakened her.

He said that instead of stopping when the survivor’s younger sister caught him in the act and started screaming, Roberts threatened to rape her as well. Both the convict and his attorney, Jermaine Jarvis, attempted to attribute Roberts’ actions to binge drinking, but the judge asserted that there was no excuse for such abhorrent acts of violence.

The rapist’s guilty plea during trial was considered “tactical” by Justice Kissoon due to the substantial evidence against him. The judge explained that there was little question regarding the convict’s guilt because the prosecution had produced strong evidence.

With regard to the medical examination performed on the young girl, he said that this “left no doubt in the mind” what the child had been through. The child’s hymen was not intact, and the medical report noted that she had suffered lacerations and blunt force trauma to her vagina.

In her impact statement, the rape survivor bravely shared the profound impact the traumatic experience had on her life. She beseeched the court to put Roberts away for the rest of his life.
Attorney Jarvis begged Justice Kissoon to give his client, whom he characterised as a “strong Christian,” a second chance during a plea in mitigation. The defence attorney believes his client deserves a chance to turn his life around and be reintegrated into society.

During the sentencing hearing, the convicted rapist made a sincere request for forgiveness, which caused a complex range of emotions from those in the courtroom.
He stood in front of the judge and apologised profusely for the anguish and suffering he had brought onto the victim and her loved ones. “I am sorry for what I have done. Please for another chance and forgiveness”, he stated.

Justice Kissoon emphasised that Roberts deserved a “harsh and severe” sentence in light of the circumstances, and as a result, he imposed the maximum punishment for rape—life in prison.
The court ordered the offender to enroll in the prison service’s sessions for sex offenders and alcoholics. Roberts must spend a minimum of 18 years before he is eligible for release.
He was given full credit for the time he spent on remand. The prosecution’s case was presented by State Counsel Nafeeza Baig and State Counsel Latifah Elliot.