Facing imprisonment for life, two men convicted of engaging in sex acts with underage girls will be sentenced on Thursday by Demerara High Court Judge Navindra Singh.
In the first case, Mark Samuels, 33, who is last known to be residing in Georgetown was found guilty by a jury of sexually penetrating a 13-year-old girl on January 27, 2021.
Mark Samuels
The prosecution said Samuels touched the girl inappropriately and raped her even though she tried to fight him off. After the ordeal, the girl confided in her mother, who in turn filed a report with the Police.
Samuels was subsequently arrested and charged with the crime.
Back in 2021, Samuels was charged with stealing 66 COVID-19 vaccination cards from the Health Ministry, Brickdam, Georgetown, where he had worked as a driver.
However, the charge was dismissed against him the following year for want of prosecution.
The prosecution had contended that between August 22 and August 23, 2021, a female nurse discovered that the lock on the cupboard in which the vaccination cards were stored was broken. Upon checking, she noticed that the items were missing and alerted her supervisor, who lodged a report at the Brickdam Police Station.
The other case involves 56-year-old Wesley Bazil, called “Tappy”, who was found guilty of the offences of rape of a child under 16, and sexual activity with a child under 16. His victim is a 15-year-old girl.
In December 2020, Bazil touched the girl inappropriately. The following month, he raped her. Her parents only found out that she had been sexually abused after her mother came across text messages between her and a friend on her cellphone. A report was filed with the Police, and Bazil was arrested and prosecuted.
Following the jury’s verdicts, Bazil attempted suicide by harming himself with a razor blade.
Swift intervention by the court marshals; however, prevented him from fatally injuring himself; he, nonetheless, lost consciousness and collapsed. He was immediately rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was kept under Police guard.
Both cases were prosecuted by State Counsels Nafeeza Baig, Tiffini Lyken, and Praneta Seeraj. Bazil was represented by Attorney-at-Law Euclin Gomes.
To speak with a professional counsellor, please contact the Suicide Prevention Hotline on 223-0001, 223-0009, 600-7896, or 623-4444.
