Judge for yourself

Guyana 360: Below are two separate articles carried in today's KN, but you be the judge (no pun intended) for yourself.

Businessman refused bail on carnal
knowledge charge

A 25-year-old businessman was yesterday refused bail by Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle when he appeared in court charged indictably with carnal knowledge.
It was alleged that the accused, Gregory Mattelhozer, had carnal knowledge of a 13-year-old girl on December 18, last, at Berbice.
Mattelhozer of 43 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Berbice, was represented by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Anthony who said that his client is the owner of a supermarket at Stanleytown.
He added that Mattelhozer has had no previous brushes with the law and since his arrest has cooperated fully with the police.
According to Anthony, the virtual complainant’s mother approached him seeking to settle the matter before it reached the attention of the court.
The prosecutor opposed bail on the ground of the serious nature of the offence. He added that the incident has allegedly occurred on more than one occasions.
The lawyer then responded by saying that Mattelhozer has no contact with the child and if that is the reason for refusal of bail, that is unfortunate.
Bail was refused and Mattelhozer’s next court appearance was fixed for April 11.

Another carnal accused
granted bail

Magistrate Allan Wilson granted bail in the sum of $75,000 to 25-year-old Satnarine Deonarine, who is accused of having carnal knowledge of a girl under 15 years.
Deonarine, called Kishan, a labourer of Golden Fleece, Essequibo Coast, was not required to plea to the indictable charge when he appeared at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Counsel Dindyal who represented the defendant in his application for bail stated that his client was not a flight risk and was gainfully employed as a labourer.
However, Magistrate Wilson said that the offence is very prevalent and ways must be implemented in order to bring such an offence to an end. And having granted bail, he told the defendant that his passport or any other travel documents must be immediately confiscated, and that he must report to the Anna Regina Police Station twice weekly, up until his preliminary hearing.
It is alleged that on October 6, 2007 at Suddie, Deonarine, who is friends with the minor’s sister, was visiting their house where he spoke with the virtual complainant. Later in the day both the minor and the defendant left on a bicycle for a house at Suddie Village where the accused allegedly had sex with her. The defendant will have to return to Court on April 21.