Bus driver charged for sex with girl, 12

A MAN who works as a bus driver appeared in the San Fernando Magistrates' Court this morning on three counts of having sex with a 12-year-old girl. Aleem Mohammed, 33, of Tableland Village, was arrested on Monday. Senior magistrate, Alicia Chankar, read to him the charges – the first alleging that he took the girl on August 26, 2018 to Primier Guest House, Corinth Village, San Fernando, where he had sex with her.

The second charge is that on December 12, 2017, he committed the same act on the girl at the guest house. The third was committed, the magistrate said, between August 22, 2018 and August 26, 2018, at the same place.

The charges against Mohammed were laid by WPC Hadasa Hamilton of the Child Protection Unit under Section 18 of the Children Act.

Attorney Chrystal Jalim, who represented Mohammed, told Chankar that Mohammed drives a bus and takes people on outings. Prosecutor PC Cleyon Seedan produced a criminal record which, Chankar said, showed he was once fined for having a gun, ammunition and an army uniform.

Mohammed was also fined recently for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Chankar granted him $150,000 bail and ordered that he report to Tableland police station on Tuesdays and Saturdays. He has also been ordered to not communicate with the alleged victim.

Mohammed responded from the dock: "But she only calling my phone. I keep telling she; she doh stop."

Chankar said: "You do your part and keep away."

He is to reappear on April 1.