Even after his first trial ended in a hung jury, Romal Jewan, who was accused of raping an underage girl, exited the courtroom of Justice Jo-Ann Barlow a free man after a jury delivered an 11-1 not guilty verdict at the end of his retrial on Thursday.
Freed of rape charge: Romal Jewan
The 27-year-old businessman, of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), had initially denied the charge which detailed that on September 7, 2012, he engaged in sexual penetration of a 13-year-old girl.
Jewan faced his retrial before Justice Barlow at the Sexual Offences Court of the Demerara High Court.
Last October, the now free man went on trial for the indictment; however, at its conclusion, the jury did not arrive at a verdict. As such, trial Judge Simone Morris-Ramlall ordered that the defendant face another trial.
During his first trial, Jewan was represented by Attorneys-at-Law Paula and Brandon DeSantos while the State’s case was presented by Prosecutor Tariq Mohammed.
