Daughter of rape accused sends judge Facebook friend request

A HIGH court judge had a rather unusual Facebook request at the time when he was scheduled to pass sentence on a father for raping a teenage girl.

Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas was expected to sentence Mukesh “Legs” Ganpat, 48, of south Trinidad, in the San Fernando High Court yesterday, but before he did so, he announced that it had appeared that Ganpat’s daughter, Alicia, sent him a Facebook friend request. With his laptop in front of him, the judge presiding in the Second Criminal Assizes, said he was perturbed by the request and wanted to ascertain the motive.

Alicia Ganpat sitting in the courtroom and through her father’s attorney. Chris Ramlal, admitted sending the judge the friend request.

St Clair-Douglas did not say when she did so.

However, in June, her father, Ganpat, was found guilty by a jury for raping the girl in 2004 in a trial presided over by St Clair-Douglas.

Senior State Attorney Trevor Jones who prosecuted, led evidence from witnesses that on June 30, the girl was waiting for a taxi in Princes Town when Ganpat offered her a ride home. Instead he took her to a house and raped her. She went to the Princes Town Health Facility, then to the police station nearby.

In his defence, Ganpat admitted picking up the girl, but denied he raped her. In fact, he said she asked him for $40 after kissing him on the lips. Ganpat said when he refused to give her the money, she cursed him, but despite that, he took her home in his car.

After deliberating for three hours, the nine-member jury announced that Ganpat was guilty.

St Clair-Douglas told Ramlal that the attempt by the daughter to seek his friendship on Facebook was equivalent to trying to walk up to him and discuss her father’s case. “It is entirely inappropriate. Note my confirmation that I did not respond to the request.”

Ramlal said that the daughter wanted to apologise and tremendously regretted her actions.

Jones submitted for the judge’s consideration in passing sentence that the court examine the prevalence of rape and the permanent scar left in the life of the victim.

The judge will sentence Ganpat, whom he remanded into custody, on November 30.