By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was acquitted of rape yesterday in Supreme Court when the complainant in the case withdrew the allegation against him.
Poence Bodie was scheduled to stand trial before Justice Indra Charles in connection of rape and “causing grievous harm” of a woman known to him on August 26, 2009.
Bodie had pleaded not guilty to both charges.
The woman took the witness stand yesterday informing the court that she wanted to withdraw the charges.
She was asked by the prosecution if she was threatened, promised, coerced or induced into this course of action. She denied that any of these occurred.
As a result, Justice Watkins directed the jury to return a unanimous not-guilty verdict on both charges, which they did.
Bodie, who has no pending matters before the court and was on bail for the offences, was told by the judge that he was free to go.
His matter had originally been before the Magistrates Court to determine if there was sufficient evidence for him to answer to in a trial before the Supreme Court.
However, not all of the witnesses that gave evidence in the preliminary inquiry were slated to testify in the Supreme Court trial.
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