DEREK ACHONG
Senior Reporter
derek.achong@guardian.co.tt
A 48-year-old private hire taxi driver from Tobago has been convicted of raping a teenage passenger almost a decade ago.
It took a nine-member jury before High Court Judge Kathy Ann Waterman-Latchoo almost two hours last Friday to return with a unanimous guilty verdict for the taxi driver from Mason Hall, Tobago.
According to the evidence in the trial, the attack took place on November 19, 2012.
The 17-year-old victim had just attended a thanksgiving function at her aunt’s home when she got into the car at a taxi stand in Scarborough.
Her boyfriend paid the man $40 to drop her home in Carnbee.
While on the way, the man asked the victim her name and asked her to have sex with him.
After she refused, he reportedly told her that her boyfriend should have never let her come with him alone.
He then diverted to a secluded beach in Lambeau.
He parked between trees, dragged the teen from the car and raped her on the bonnet.
He then drove away and left her at the location.
The victim made her way home and reported the incident to the police later that night.
After a medical examination at the Scarborough General Hospital showed that she had been sexually assaulted, the taxi driver was arrested and charged.
During his brief trial, the man opted to testify in his defence.
He did not deny having sex with the victim but claimed that she consented and initiated the act.
The driver, who was on bail after being charged and was remanded after being convicted last week, is expected to be sentenced on Thursday.
The case was prosecuted by Dylan Martin and Niara Boodan. —Derek Achong
