A 23-year-old woman on Friday told the High Court that she does not think that the man who impregnated her when she was around 17, would rape a 14-year-old girl.
Sharon DeFreitas, of Green Hill, expressed the view as she testified as a character witness on behalf of Ronald Samuel aka Ronaldo, 30, who a jury found guilty of raping a 14-year-old girl with whom he admitted he had had sex.
The age of consent in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is 15 and a 14-year-old, therefore cannot consent to sex.
Samuel was also convicted of having unlawful sexual intercourse with and indecently assaulting the same girl in November 2021.
The jury further convicted him of cyberbullying and harassing the same girl by means of electronic communication in relation to his efforts to pressure the child to take abortion medication.
On Friday, De Freitas spoke highly of Samuel, telling the court, “My child’s father is a very loving and compassionate man. He always looks out for his kids. He always makes sure that he provides for them.”
Justice Brian Cottle asked DeFreitas how many children she was talking about and she said three.
She then clarified that she was the mother of one of Samuel’s three children — a 6-year-old boy.
“I will say he is a good role model to his son. Others may not think it,” DeFreitas told the court.
“I do not think what they are saying about him is true because I have been around my child’s father for how many years now and I do not see him as this kind of person. It has only been a few days but his child misses him a lot,” she said, referring to the time that Samuel has been in prison.
The judge asked DeFreitas if she knew that Samuel had been convicted for having sex with a girl under the age of 15 and she said yes.
The judge noted to DeFreitas that she is 23 and her son is 6.
Samuel was indicted for rape, USI, indecent assault, cyberbullying and harassment by means of electronic communication.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges and there was a full trial.
Samuel testified during the prosecution’s case and then chose to testify in his own defence and did so.
He was cross-examined and at the end of that day’s hearing, the trial was adjourned until the following day and he remained on bail.
Samuel told the court that he planned to call witnesses to testify on his behalf.
However, when the matter was called the next day, Samuel was not present and no witnesses testified on his behalf.
Samuel was unrepresented during the trial but after he failed to attend court, the lawyer who presented him then said she had no explanation for his absence.
The lawyer, however, said she feared that when confronted by the evidence, Samuel was possibly considering self-harm.
The trial continued and Samuel was convicted in his absence on all counts
He was arrested by police, apparently trying to slip away from the country without going through the official procedure of exiting the country.
Samuel had one previous conviction for theft.
He had befriended the girl and communicated with her via a popular messaging application.
Then, on Nov. 11, 2021, he met her in Kingstown and invited her to his home in Campden Park, saying that her uniform needed ironing.
While the girl was ironing the uniform, Samuel pushed her onto the bed and had sex with her.
One week later, he met her in Kingstown and kissed her behind a building while fondling her breasts and vagina.
In the weeks that followed, he then contacted her via the messaging application, trying to pressure her to take abortion mediation.
He also threatened to show the child’s mother a video he said was of her and him having sex and to publish the video on the Facebook page of the girl’s school.
Samuel did not attend the last day of his trial and was convicted in his absence. He attempted to flee the country after the guilty verdict.
The judge sentenced him to 19 years, six months and 23 days in prison.
The most rediculous sentence ever.