Local News No bail Fernella Wedderburn27/06/20230537 views Jamel Lorenzo Hunte being escorted by police officers out of the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on Monday after appearing on four charges, including two counts of rape. Alleged child rapist remanded to Dodds By Fernella Wedderburn The man who allegedly raped two 12-year-old girls, including one on the compound of the Frederick Smith Secondary School, appears to be a “vicious child predator” from whom society must be protected. That argument was among the objections put forward by Station Sergeant Crishna Williams as to why Jamel Lorenzo Hunte, who appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Graveney Bannister on Monday, should not be granted bail on four charges, including two counts of rape. Hunte, 29, of Watermans Terrace, Green Hill, St Michael and New Orleans, St Michael, is charged with raping a 12-year-old girl on June 5. The offence is alleged to have been committed in the District ‘A’ jurisdiction. He is further accused of raping another 12-year-old girl, this time at the Frederick Smith Secondary School, in the District ‘E’ jurisdiction, on June 15. It is also alleged that having lawfully entered the premises of the school, he misconducted himself by behaving in a threatening manner. Hunte is additionally charged with willfully, openly, lewdly and obscenely exposing his person in Folkestone, St James, a public road, along a highway, on the same day. The prosecutor, in making her submissions against granting Hunte bail, pointed to the nature and seriousness of the offences. Addressing the indecent exposure charge, she said the accused allegedly performed the act in broad daylight in full view of persons travelling along the public road, including students from the nearby school. Regarding the rape and trespassing charges, Williams added that although some persons would view trespassing as less serious, the offence was allegedly committed at a public school during school hours. “The accused used the guise of wanting to speak to the principal to enter the premises. And it is alleged that when he could not get the opportunity to see the principal, he took that [chance] to roam the school halls and moved [around] without permission from the authorities, and this is when the alleged rape would have occurred on the third-form block,” said the prosecutor. She also pointed to the strength of the evidence against the accused as another reason why he should not be granted his pretrial liberty at this time. Williams further stated that while investigations were still ongoing, “we have certain information that we had the right person in this matter”. “There’s a need to protect society from this accused who seemingly appears to be a vicious child predator . . . . Children in our schools and elsewhere need to be protected,” said Williams who disclosed that the accused was on bail from another court and had previous convictions, albeit for unrelated offences. “All the virtual complainants in these matters are [in the] 12-year age range . . . . He had no business or interest at the school, and if granted bail, there is a possibility that he may re-offend.” In his application, on behalf of the accused, attorney-at-law Damian Sands urged the court to “explore all the tools of justice” when considering the issue of bail. “He is presumed innocent until proven otherwise,” the lawyer said, adding that while there were several allegations, none of his client’s prior convictions or pending matters were of a similar nature. Bail could be granted with the strictest of conditions, said Sands. But the Acting Chief Magistrate, in mulling over the submissions of both the prosecution and defence, questioned whether there was no concern for the accused’s safety given the allegations that he deemed “very serious”. He said there was a need for “things to cool down”. “I cannot accede to the request for bail with conditions,” Magistrate Bannister told the defence. “A man who trespasses and . . . tricks . . . . I don’t know how I am going to control him. Even if I was minded to give him bail, then there is the allegation that they [the complaints] were both 12-year-old schoolgirls. There is a serious public interest element in this matter. We are here to protect children and protect the public,” he added. Hunte was then remanded to Dodds until July 24 to reappear before Bannister on the District ‘A’ matter. He will appear in the District ‘E’ Holetown Magistrates’ Court in relation to the other offences on July 21. fernellawedderburn@barbadostoday.bb