Jury acquits Tobago man charged with raping common-law wife

A Tobago man had been acquitted of raping his common-law wife and kidnapping and falsely imprisoning her in 2008.

The Plymouth man was before Justice Nalini Singh and a Tobago jury on three charges of false imprisonment, kidnapping and rape arising out of two alleged incidents on November 8 and December 6, 2008.

The prosecution’s case was that on November 8, 2008, he broke into his former companion’s home – she had returned to her mother’s house after the relationship ended – beat her, abducted her and drove her to an area in Plymouth where she was able to escape by pretending to urinate.

In the second incident, it was the State’s case that on December 6, 2008, the man called his ex common-law wife pretending to have money for their son.

When she came outside – dressed in a panty, bra and bedsheet – she was grabbed, beaten and dragged in a waiting car where she was taken to an area in Mt St George where she alleged she was raped twice, beaten again and then dropped off at the side of the road.

This was the second trial for the Plymouth man.

The trial began on October 16, when a jury was empaneled and prosecutors opened their case on October 23, calling five witnesses and tendering the statements of three.

One of the witnesses was the doctor who examined the alleged victim on December 7, 2008. He found that apart from a swollen lip and the patient complaining of stomach and vaginal pain, there was no bruising or obvious signs of trauma despite her claim she was viciously beaten. The State closed its case on October 25, and the next day, the man testified in his defence.

He denied the allegations of beating his common-law wife on November 8, but he said there was sex on December 8, but it was non-violent and consensual.

He maintained the two incidents were made up by the woman because he had moved on with his life and refused to rekindle the relationship.

On Monday, after receiving directions from the judge, the jury returned not guilty verdicts in his favour and he was discharged.

He was represented by Deputy Chief Public Defender Raphael Morgan and public defender Shuzvon Ramdass.

The State was represented by senior prosecutor Charmaine Samuel.