KINGSTON, Jamaica — A 22-year-old man, believed to be homosexual, was last week hauled before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on allegations that he was among a group of men who gang raped a 13-year-old girl last October.

The underaged victim was reportedly dragged into an abandoned building in the Regards Gardens community in Kingston and raped by several men.

The unemployed accused, who is of the said community where the victim also resides, was arrested and charged with rape after he was pointed out by the minor.

On Friday, when the accused appeared in court before Parish Judge Chester Crooks, he was remanded and an April 20 date set for continuation of his bail application which was previously placed on hold pending a psychiatric evaluation.

The psychiatric evaluation was ordered because of a speech problem that the accused had when he was in court but the report which was received by the court on Friday has indicated that he is fit to plead.

Attorney Sasha-Kay Shaw, who is representing the accused, during her bail application on a previous court date told the court that her client was denying any involvement in the gang rape.

She told the court that based on her instructions, on the night of the incident her client was passing by and saw the girl being raped but could not go to her assistance as there were about 20 men present.

According to the attorney, the victim might have seen her client that night but he was not involved in raping her.

But, while Shaw is maintaining her client’s innocence, the clerk of court on Friday reiterated that the accused had refused to do a DNA test.

Tanesha Mundle