Man acquitted in Berbice High Court rape retrial

A Berbice High Court jury on Wednesday found Krishna Tulapersaud not guilty of one count of sexual activity with a child family member after Justice Simone Morris had earlier directed jurors to return a formal not guilty verdict on a second count.
The verdict brought to an end Tulapersaud’s retrial, which was the final matter from the February 2026 Berbice Criminal Assizes.
Following legal submissions by the prosecution and defence, Justice Morris ruled that there was insufficient evidence for one of the charges to be left to the jury and instructed jurors to return a formal verdict of not guilty on that count.
The remaining count was then left for the jury’s consideration. After deliberating, jurors returned with a unanimous verdict of not guilty.
Tulapersaud, who had denied both allegations, was subsequently discharged.
The retrial stemmed from a decision of the Court of Appeal, which quashed Tulapersaud’s earlier conviction and 14-year prison sentence and ordered that the matter be heard afresh before a new judge and jury.
State Counsel Marisa Edwards prosecuted the case on behalf of the State, while Attorney-at-Law Arudranauth Gossai appeared for the defence.
The indictments had alleged that the offences occurred during February 2013 and February 2014. Tulapersaud had pleaded not guilty to both charges when the retrial commenced before Justice Morris.