Rastaman on rape charge agrees to provide DNA samples
A 51-year-old Rastafarian man accused of raping a 11-year-old girl in his community yesterday volunteered to provide DNA samples to clear his name, when he appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.
The construction worker, who resides in an inner-city community in Kingston, was this month arrested and charged with rape.
Attorney Zandragay Francis, who is representing the accused, told Parish Judge Maxine Ellis that her client was innocent and was willing to submit DNA to prove his innocence.
Francis, during her bail application, told the court that her client was a man of good character and has no previous conviction.
She also informed the judge that it was he who had brought the matter to the attention of the police, as he went to the station after the girl’s family had accused him of rape.
The prosecutor, however, told the judge that the Crown was objecting to bail for the accused as there were reports indicating that there are threats against his life.
The lawyer, however, told the court that her client had an alternative address, if granted bail.
The judge, who had accepted the accused man’s offer to provide DNA samples, postponed the hearing in order to allow the accused to submit the samples.
A return date was subsequently scheduled for June 26, at which time Judge Ellis said she will resume the bail application
See wah mi a seh bout di law… DNA should be taken already.