A nine-member jury has found a Haitian national Aziza Nelson resident in Dominica guilty of “Indecent Assault” but “not guilty” of Unlawful sexual intercourse with an underage girl.
The trial was held “in camera” in accordance with the Sexual Offences Act number 1 of 1998 “hearing in camera” Section 27 (2) which states, “at any proceedings in relation to an offense to which this section applies, the public shall be excluded for this period, but the Judge may permit the presence of any person whose presence is requested by the complainant or the accused.”
However, section 27 (3) of this act states that “sentencing in any offense to which this section applies shall take place in public.”
He is represented by Wayne Norde.
In other High Court news, Murder accused Yanick Lander who is charged with the 2008 murder of Dwayne Pinard of Castle Comfort, is expected to come up before Justice Thomas Astaphan. Zena Moore Dyer is representing Lander in the matter.
This matter is 15 years old and the father of the deceased has gone public several times complaining of the delay in the trial as he seeks justice for his family.
Nature Isle News (NIN) will be following this story very closely and will give information as it unfolds.