The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of raping a woman in a hotel room at her friend’s birthday sleep-over was acquitted of the charge by a Supreme Court jury.

Standing trial before Justice Bernard Turner, Frantz Medeus was found not guilty on a majority verdict, 8-1,in connection with the claim of rape that allegedly took place on January 28, 2012, at a resort on Paradise Island.

The jury heard evidence from the virtual complainant and other attendees at the sleep-over.

The complainant said she was invited to celebrate a lady’s night out that included drinking, and culminated with a sleep-over at Comfort Suites.

While in a reserved suite at the hotel with other women and the “birthday girl”, the complainant and another friend went to sleep as the others stayed awake for some time, she said.

As the complainant was sleeping, she said, some men were invited to the room by the brother of the birthday girl, one of them being Medeus.

It was claimed that while complainant was asleep, Medeus waited for an opportunity to go underneath the sheet of the bed and have sex with her.

The complainant got up for a brief moment, looked at him and fainted, she claimed.

In his defence, Medeus opted to take the witness stand. He did not deny being in the room, or lying in the bed.

However, the accused said he never touched or had sex with the complainant.

On Monday, after Justice Turner summarised the evidence in the case, the jury was excused to deliberate on a verdict.

After three hours of deliberation, they returned with a majority not-guilty verdict.

Medeus, who was on bail, was acquitted and discharged.

Dr Glendon Rolle represented Medeus while Terry Archer, Aaron Johnson and Koschina Marshall prosecuted for the Crown.