Man guilty of sex attack on girl, 8

State attorney Angelica Teelucksingh, instructed by Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds, led evidence that on March 23, 2002, Bholan committed grievous sexual assault and indecent assault against an eight-year-old girl. The girl was his neighbour, the court heard.

The State called six witnesses to testify, including the victim, her brother and parents.

Accused Bholan, the jurors heard, was a trusted friend of the family. At the time of the incident, Bholan went to babysit the girl and her two brothers while her father went to pick up the victim’s mother at her workplace.

According to the State’s case, Bholan was sitting on the couch at the girl’s home at about 7.45 pm, when the victim, now 12-years old, testified that Bholan put her to sit on his lap and bit one of her fingers. She told the jury that Bholan then took her into one of the bedrooms and placed her on a bed, where he sexually assaulted her.

The victim told the court that she began to cry and Bholan took her to her mother’s workplace.

Although the victim met her parents there, she did not tell them about what Bholan had done to her that night.

The court heard that the girl eventually told her parents about the incident. The matter was reported to WPC Karen Bruce of the Gasparillo Police Station. Bholan was subsequently arrested and charged.

In his defence, Bholan, defended by attorney Capildeo Maharaj, claimed that he was at a bar liming and gambling on that particular night. Bholan claimed he was being set-up by the victim’s family because of a land dispute.

Justice Yorke Soo Hon postponed sentencing pending a probation officer’s report on the accused.