Appeal Court reserves decision in appeal filed by former pastor who raped girl, 15
The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment in an appeal filed by former Pastor Andrew Hannibal, who is currently serving a 40-year jail sentence for raping a 15-year-old girl.
In February 2018, Hannibal was found guilty of raping the child in the County of Berbice between January 29 and January 31, 2016.
In handing down the 40 years jail term, High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon also ordered that he serve 30 years before becoming eligible for parole.
Hannibal, who is the founder of the Faith Deliverance Ministries at Rosignol, West Coast Berbice (WCB), later appealed against his conviction and sentence.
Among other things, the former Pastor contended that there were discrepancies in the prosecution’s case and that his sentence was manifestly excessive and not in keeping with established sentencing guidelines.
The appeal was heard by acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justices of Appeal Rishi Persaud and Dawn Gregory-Barnes. Murseline Bacchus, SC, and Arudranauth Gossai represented the convicted child rapist.
Media reports are that the child’s sibling woke and discovered that she was missing from bed. When she was later found, she revealed that she was with Hannibal.
A Police report was later lodged, and a medical examination showed that she had genital injuries.
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