Man acquitted of raping woman, but found guilty of assaulting her

A man was on Thursday unanimously found guilty by a 12-member jury of assaulting a woman during an alleged rape that occurred two years ago.
Bhola Bhagwandin, called ‘Buddy’, who was also indicted on two counts of rape committed on the said woman, was however acquitted on both counts.
Represented by Attorney-at-Law Teriq Mohammed, Bhagwandin had initially pleaded not guilty to the charges. The offences were alleged to have occurred on September 2, 2019 in the county of Demerara. State Counsel Sarah Martin presented the case for the prosecution.

Following the guilty verdict on the assault charge, High Court Justice Jo-Ann Barlow informed Bhagwandin that he remains on bail until October 20, when he has to return to court for sentencing. In the meanwhile, he has been instructed to stay at least 150 feet away from the woman he was accused of raping.
Facts presented by the prosecutor revealed that Bhagwandin and the woman are known to each other. The woman was at home alone on the day in question when Bhagwandin allegedly went there and began feeling her breasts and holding her hands against her will.
When the woman told him to desist from touching her, he allegedly cuffed her in her back and belly, before allegedly picked up a piece of wood from the yard and dealing her several lashes about her body. Thereafter, he pushed the woman onto a concrete floor and allegedly engaged in sexual penetration of the woman without her consent.
The woman reported the matter to the Police the following day. (G1)