Santa Cruz

Andrew Powell, the 19-year-old man facing abduction, rape, robbery and firearm charges, was again denied bail in the Santa Cruz Resident Magistrate's Court last Thursday.

The accused of Down's district in the parish was earlier denied bail because the Resident Magistrate said he was a flight risk, the offence was a serious one, the file was not complete and the complainant had been traumatised.

The court heard that about 8 p.m. on September 26, a 17-year-old woman had just closed up her shop in the district and was walking home with two young men. It is alleged that a Nissan motor car with three men drove past the three and stopped a few meters away.

It is further alleged that the three men alighted from the car posing as police officers, drew a gun and robbed the two men of cell phones and cash amounting to $2,000. They then reportedly took the teenage woman away in the car and sexually assaulted her.

A few days later, on September 30, the accused man was caught by residents and handed over to the police. He was placed on an identification parade at the Black River Police Station, where he was pointed out, then charged with the offences.