Ganesh Lewis, a 44-year-old man from St. Lawrence, East Bank Essequibo, has been sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment after being convicted of attempted rape of a four-year-old child. The sentencing occurred today at the Demerara High Court, presided over by Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh.
A jury unanimously found Lewis guilty of the charge following a trial. The court began with a starting point of 20 years’ imprisonment for the offense. This was subsequently reduced by five years due to a favorable probation report in Lewis’ favor. However, the sentence was increased by three years because of the victim’s youthfulness and Lewis’ lack of remorse for his actions, resulting in a final sentence of 18 years. No time will be deducted from his sentence, as he was on bail throughout the proceedings.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the court mandated that the Department of Social Services, or another suitable agency, continue counselling services for the child victim until deemed unnecessary.
Lewis was charged under the Sexual Offences Act, Chapter 8:03, with two counts involving rape and attempted rape of a child under 16. The charges stemmed from an incident on August 2, 2022, at a shed next to his brother’s barbershop. During the trial, the jury returned a not-guilty verdict on the rape charge but found him guilty of attempted rape.
The prosecution presented evidence that a resident, who visited the closed barbershop, noticed unusual movement in the adjacent shed. Upon investigating, the resident observed Lewis in a compromising position with the child. Following this encounter, the resident confronted Lewis, who left with the child.
The child’s family, recognizing Lewis as a close family friend, reported the incident to the police, leading to Lewis’ arrest on August 4, 2022. Throughout the trial, Lewis denied the allegations, arguing that he had been asleep and misinterpreted the situation when the resident arrived.
The prosecution dismissed his defense as implausible, illustrating that the barbershop was closed and distant from his home, which undermined his claim of hearing disturbances.
Lewis was first charged on January 27, 2023, and after a preliminary inquiry, was committed to trial on September 21, 2024, with a magistrate ruling a prima facie case had been established. He was represented by attorney Ronald Bostwick, while the prosecution team comprised Simran Gajraj, Christopher Belfield, and Geneva Wills.
