A 28-year-old man was denied bail when he appeared before Magistrate Aden Stroude at the Siparaia First Magistrates’ Court yesterday, to answer to the charges of rape and kidnapping.

The 74-year-old victim reported to CID officers that Alvin Sookram, a labourer from La Brea Trace, Siparia, attacked her on July 24.

She said she left the home of her neighbour at La Brea Trace, Siparia, and proceeded towards La Brea Trace junction, when a   man approached her and bundled her into a car.

The woman claimed that the car was driven by another man who drove the vehicle further inside La Brea Trace and into a back road behind the Siparia West Secondary School, where she was pulled her out of the car, dragged her down a hill into a bushy area and raped.

She told police she began fighting him off and screaming at which time the suspect threw a stone, striking her on her right foot. He further dealt her several blows with his hands on her back. She told police that the man then ran off and left her in the said bushes where she remained until daylight as she was afraid and also unable to see to get out of the bushy area. She said she later made her way to her home.

She was taken to the Siparia District Health Facility by officers of the Siparia CID, where she was medically examined and a medical certificate was obtained of her behalf.

Sookram was arrested at Ecclesville, Rio Clarolast Friday and was formally charged on Monday 7th September for the two offences.

He is due to return to court on October 26.