Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region 9 (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), Carl Parker was on Monday freed of a charge of sexual assault due to insufficient evidence.
Last year, Parker was charged with the allegations which read that during the month of June 2016 at Yupukari, Central Rupununi he sexually assaulted a 19-year-old woman of Region 9.

During trial before Magistrate Allan Wilson at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court Parker was released on $200,000 bail. He was represented by Attorney Jerome Khan.
The trial was bogged down by delays due to the victims failing to show up to be cross-examined. Five witnesses were called to take the stand. “We kept complaining that this woman was using delaying tactics. Not one bit of her evidence was corroborated with the main detective” Attorney Khan told the Guyana Chronicle.

The attorney during Parker’s first court appearance had stressed that the accusations against his client are politically motivated, aimed at having him removed from office. “The allegation came as a shock and surprise…the Lethem area is in total shock that Parker is being accused of something like this,” the lawyer had told reporters.

According to the lawyer, the accusations had stemmed from Parker refusing to allow the complainant to grant contracts to her friends in the region. “The damage is already done…they wanted to see him convicted,” the lawyer said.