Two preliminary inquiries were held by Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer today for two men who were charged separately for committing unnatural crimes. At the conclusion of the cases, the prosecutor was able to establish that there is prima facie evidence against both men and their cases were committed to the October session of the Supreme Court.
David Popper, a resident of Burrell Boom, has been accused of committing an unnatural crime on April 13, 2013, upon a 23-year-old man.
In addition, Popper was also charged with wounding, after a doctor examined the victim and found that he was wounded during the commission of the alleged unnatural crime. Police also charged Popper with committing a mischievous act, for reporting to police that he was assaulted by the alleged victim of the unnatural crime.
During the preliminary inquiry, the court prosecutor, Inspector Hector Rodriguez, produced a total of nine witness statements and seven forms of documentary evidence against Popper, who was unrepresented by an attorney at the hearing.
While he did not challenge any of the prosecution’s evidence against him, Popper only said, “I didn’t do it; I am not guilty of that.”
Popper told the court that he has three alibi witnesses to call who will testify on his behalf, but he failed to give the court their names.
Prosecutor Rodriguez was also able to establish a prima facie case against Edwin Emmanuel Coye, a resident of Apollo Street, Belama.
Coye has been accused of committing an unnatural crime upon a female minor who was under the age of 16, at the time when he allegedly committed the offense, on May 6 and 7, 2013.
Police are alleging that Coye had sexual intercourse with the minor on two separate occasions, so apart from his charge of unnatural crime, he is also facing two counts of carnal knowledge.
Rodriguez tendered a number of witness statements against Coye. The prosecutor also tendered eight documentary exhibits which consisted of a medical report, a caution statement, photographs and forensic reports.
And like Popper before him, Coye, who was also unrepresented by an attorney, did not challenge any of the prosecution’s evidence against him.
The October Session of the Supreme Court begins on October 7, 2014.