Berbice contractor, teacher charged with rape

in separate incidents

Two men – one a contractor and the other a school teacher – were on Tuesday placed on a total of $360,000 bail for allegedly having sexual relations with three teenagers. The men appeared at the Albion Magistrate’s Court charged for two separate and unrelated cases but were both granted bail.

Zafiel Yusuf, 25, a teacher and the son of a former AFC Regional Councillor, was charged with the rape of a 14-year-old girl and her 15-year-old brother.

Zafiel Yusuf

It is alleged that on April 19, 2017, he had sexual penetration with the teenagers at a Corentyne village. Yusuf, who operates a private school on the Corentyne, was granted bail in the sum of $120,000 on each of the two charges. He will return to court on July 27, when the Police are expected to file statements.

It was alleged that Yusuf went to the teenagers’ home and requested to see their mother and told her that he had hampers to give to poor people and if she wanted one she will have to send her children with him to collect it.

The children got into his car and he stopped at a Chinese restaurant and asked them if they wanted beer to drink. The girl said she did not want a beer but would accept a bottle of juice.

Dexter Clerk

It is alleged that the siblings were later taken down a dam and next to a clump of bushes where she was told to perform a sexual act on Yusuf. It was also reported that she refused and was cuffed and told that she would be killed if she did not comply. Out of fear, the teenager performed oral sex on the school teacher.

It is alleged that her brother was also forced to do the same after his sister.

After the teenagers returned home, the matter was reported to the Police.

Meanwhile, also appearing before Magistrate Marissa Mittelholzer on Tuesday was Dexter Philadelphia, also called “Dexter Clerk”, 43, a contractor.

He is accused of having sexual intercourse with a 12-year-old in August 2015. He was granted bail in the sum of $120,000 and will return to court on July 4.

It was reported that the victim and Philadelphia were known to each other.  On August 16, 2016, she was in the bathroom at their Corentyne home which is located at the back of the yard when the suspect came into the said bathroom and began to touch her. She told him to stop but he allegedly continued. After the bath, she went upstairs to her bedroom and Philadelphia went after her.

At the time she was wrapped in a towel. The towel was pulled off and she was allegedly raped. At the time, Philadelphia was involved in a relationship with the teenager’s mother.

When the matter comes up again on July 4, the Police will be expected to file statements.