“Spiritual healer” slapped with rape charge

A 49-year-old, who claimed he is a spiritual healer and who allegedly had sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent, made his first court appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday to answer the indictable charge of rape.
Dion Liverpool was not required to plead when the charge was read to him by Magistrate Ann McLennan.
The charge alleged that on June 2, 2019, at Oval Retrieve, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), the 49-year-old sexually penetrated a woman without her consent. The matter was heard in-camera. In giving a brief synopsis, Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield said that on the day in question, the accused along with another man went to the victim’s home to give her a “spiritual” bath. According to the prosecutor, the accused had a deck of cards in his hands and told the woman to choose one and place it in her vagina. He then took two beetles and showed them to her and told her something was going to happen to her. He then forced himself on her. The other man that was with the accused then proceeded to have sex with the woman also. The matter was then reported to the police station and the accused was arrested. The prosecutor, however, did not indicate whether the second person will also be charged for the offence. Liverpool was remanded to prison and the case will continue on June 26, 2019.