UPDATE: ‘Court does not believe VC was lying’ – Magistrate Ayana Baptiste-DaBreo
The Magistrate found Lewis guilty on four of eight counts of gross indecency committed on a [male] child under 14 years of age, with two of the charges being dismissed for want of evidence and two of them requiring further clarification from both the defence and the Prosecution.
At yesterday's continuation, the Prosecution tendered the Virtual Complainant’s birth certificate, which certified that he was born in the year 2000. This meant that at the time of the allegation he was 13 years of age.
The father of the Virtual Complainant appeared on the witness stand and verified the birth certificate as being authentic, having his name and the name of his wife, the Virtual Complainant’s mother, affixed thereon.
Attorney at law for the defendant, Mr Stephen R. Daniels had no objection to the tendering of the birth certificate as a piece of evidence.
The Magistrate noted that while it was true that many of the dates given in the boy’s testimony did not match up with the actual record from the gate at the school the boy attended, it did not mean that he was not telling the truth.
According to the Magistrate, the defence maintained that the gate register did not match with the testimony of the child and this was key to their defence.
The court heard that the Virtual Complainant said he was engaged in Bible sessions with the defendant.
The Magistrate maintained that whether or not the boy agreed to the alleged sexual activity, he could not give consent as he is a minor.
“It was called a brotherly church relationship,” the Magistrate said.
Texts & emails reveal much
There were many emails and text messages exchanged allegedly between the Virtual Complainant and the defendant. In some of them the defendant allegedly promised to buy the Virtual Complainant a cell phone. The Virtual Complainant allegedly preferred one kind over another and the defendant pleaded with him saying that he could not afford what the Virtual Complainant wanted.
In some of the texts, the defendant threatened to kill himself because of what allegedly took place between the two.
The Magistrate then went on to read out some of the allegations of sexual encounters between the defendant and the Virtual Complainant.
She said that on various occasions the defendant would allegedly pick the Virtual Complainant up from school and take him to his house where they would engage in homosexuality and paedophilia.
Magistrate DaBreo argued that homosexuality is still a taboo subject in the Virgin Islands and as such an accusation of being a homosexual carries with it a lot of negative stigma.
Oliver J. Lewis’ credibility in question
The Magistrate argued that while the defendant testified that he took the child out of school for Bible fellowship, she found it strange that he would hide this information from the boy’s parents, to whom he was said to be close.
She also found it strange that the defendant would threaten to harm himself for taking the Virtual Complainant for Bible study.
“In view of all of the evidence, the court questions the credibility of the defendant. The court has found no reason to believe that the Virtual Complainant is lying,” said Magistrate DaBreo.
“The Crown has provided evidence [to satisfy] the charges of indecency on a child... for masturbating in a child’s presence, encouraging a child to masturbate causing the child to ejaculate and for performing oral sex on a child,” she said.
“I have found you guilty on four of the complaints and I am asking the court’s to make a submission on the two other [outstanding] complaints,” she said.
See previous article published on December 3, 2015:
UPDATE: Oliver J. Lewis guilty on 4 counts of gross indecency with male child
- two charges dismissed; 2 to be verified; remanded to prison until Tuesday December 8, 2015
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Guyanese IT Specialist Mr Oliver J. Lewis, 35, has been remanded to prison after being found guilty on four counts of gross indecency committed against a male child.
Lewis made an appearance for decision before Magistrate Ayana Baptiste-DaBreo at John’s Hole this afternoon, December 3, 2015.
Two of the eight charges were dismissed because of lack of evidence while two charges are yet to be verified.
Lewis is to return to court on Tuesday December 8, 2015.
More details to follow shortly.
See previous story published December 3, 2015
Child sex accused Oliver J. Lewis to know fate today
- IT Specialist charged with several counts of alleged sexual acts against a child
IT Specialist Mr Oliver J. Lewis, 35, of Guyana will return to the Magistrate’s Court today December 3, 2015 at 2:00 PM for the decision in a sexual assault matter involving a minor.
He appeared in court on Tuesday December 1, 2015 at which time the Prosecutor asked for some more time to make an application. Magistrate Ayana Baptiste-DaBreo is expected to render her decision today.
Lewis, a resident of Lambert Estate, was charged with eight counts of indecency with a male child below the age of 14 years when he had appeared before the Magistrate’s Court on June 21, 2013.
The acts allegedly occurred between April and June, 2013.
When the matter was called on July 19, 2013 Senior Crown Counsel Sarah Benjamin told the court that the Crown needed to secure additional information before proceeding with a trial against the defendant.
It was also revealed that full disclosure of all relevant documents had not been made on the defence at the time.
Lewis pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him by Senior Magistrate Tamia N. Richards. He is represented by popular and respected attorney at law Stephen R. Daniels.
He had been on $60,000 signed bail with two sureties and was instructed to have no contact with the VC or third parties associated with the VC as part of his bail conditions. He was also asked to report to the East End Police Station on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 6 A.M. and 6 P.M.
Details of the allegations
Allegations read by Principal Crown Counsel Tiffany R. Scatliffe during an earlier appearance stated that the Virtual Complainant (VC) is a child of 13 years of age and the accused and family of the VC are friends.
It is alleged that on a Saturday in the latter weeks of April 2013, the accused had a conversation with the VC’s father and asked if he (VC) could assist him at work where he is an IT specialist for a security firm.
The father reportedly agreed and the accused picked up the VC from his home with his private vehicle and took him to a residence in the area of Mount Healthy. While at the residence, the accused allegedly indecently assaulted the VC.
About two days after, the VC allegedly had a conversation with the accused while he was at school. As a result, the accused allegedly went to the school and signed out the VC during lunch hours and took him back to the residence at Mount Healthy and allegedly assaulted the VC before taking him back to school.
The incident was allegedly repeated the day afterwards around the same time. The incident allegedly occurred again several days later and the accused was said to have allegedly assaulted the VC and enticed him to perform other acts of gross indecency.
Allegations further stated that on a weekend following the initial incidents, the defendant contacted the VC’s father once again for the child to go to work with him and the father reportedly agreed.
The VC was reportedly taken to the defendant’s Lambert Beach apartment where he was allegedly assaulted and enticed to perform gross acts of indecency by the defendant. The acts were allegedly repeated at the same location by the accused on subsequent dates with the VC.
On June 11, 2013 the brother of the VC told his parents that he saw the VC leaving with the accused at lunch time and reportedly told his parents that it was a usual occurrence for the accused to collect the VC at lunch.
The VC’s father reportedly had a conversation with his son and the VC told him certain things. A complaint was later made to Police. A detective met the accused in the area of Road Town and told the accused of the report against him before cautioning the defendant. He reportedly replied, “I’m aware of it.”
He was arrested on suspicion of committing acts of indecency with a child and taken to the Road Town Police Station where an audio/video interview was conducted with police officers. Lewis was later formally charged for the alleged offence.
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56 Responses to “UPDATE: ‘Court does not believe VC was lying’ – Magistrate Ayana Baptiste-DaBreo ”
Sad Sad Sad!! But at least he is going to a place he can get alot of @n@l play. Wonder if they will house him with Pumpkin?
Answer me this: why women who call themselves Christians, who profess to be Christians and who in the house of God every Sunday wrecking and destroying what God yoked together, wrecking and destroying marriages that are to be permanent according to the will of God and destroying the lives of those children?
Jack, be quiet. Of course he loves people but especially young boys. Is that what he told you? That he was set up? What about the VC? Aren't you sad for him too? The evidence speaks and Lewis can't argue because he KNOWS that he did what he did to that young man. People like him and Andre P>>>> are sick, sick, sick. It's really a shame that you and others like you would never see these people for what they truly are.
You are so right..where is the medical report?
However this is not a "GOD and SATAN" struggle,
He cause this own his own he is smart enough to know that you dont mess with MINORS