Rape accused to face retrial following split jury

The trial of Clevon Forde, who is accused of raping a 16-year-old girl, ended on Friday in a hung jury. Forde, 34, was on trial for the offence before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow and a 12-member jury at the High Court in Demerara. Following deliberations, the jury was unable to reach a verdict.

As such, Forde, who is out on bail, will face a new trial at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Criminal Assizes. It was reported that between May 24 and 25, 2014, Forde and the young woman met at the Amelia’s Ward car park, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
They then decided to go to the club. As they arrived at the sporting facility, it is alleged that Forde jumped into the back seat of the car and began touching her breast, buttocks, and vagina.
The young lady allegedly told the perpetrator to stop but instead, he drove the car to Kara Kara, Linden, where he engaged in sexual penetration with the teen against her consent. A report was subsequently lodged with the Police.
During the trial, Forde was represented by Attorney-at-Law Rachael Bakker, while the case for the prosecution was presented by State Counsels Sarah Martin and Nafeeza Baig.