Senior Reporter
derek.achong@guardian.co.tt
A man from Point Fortin has been acquitted of raping a neighbour, who he claimed he paid to have sex and who reported him after he refused to pay more than they initially agreed.
The man, whose identity was withheld due to the nature of the case and its eventual outcome, was found not guilty by a nine-member jury before Justice Kathy-Ann Waterman-Latchoo at the end of his trial at the O’Meara Judicial Centre in Arima, yesterday.
It took the jurors a little over an hour, including the time they took to have their lunch, to return with the verdict.
The man had been accused of breaking into the alleged victim’s home and raping her after he choked and slapped her.
He testified in his defence and denied any wrongdoing.
He claimed the woman, who he had known for several years, accepted an offer to have sex with him for $500.
He claimed they met at her home after midnight as he had to hide from his wife, with whom he lived nearby.
The man alleged that after their brief sexual encounter, which he said lasted between eight and ten minutes, the woman demanded that he pay more money.
He claimed that the woman became loud and aggressive and he gave her $200 more so she would not alert his wife of their escapade.
He alleged that the woman was not satisfied and reported him to the police after he repeatedly indicated that he could not afford to pay her more than he already did.
The man was represented by Shaun Morris and Adelia Jordan, of the Public Defenders’ Department (PDD).