A 46-year-old massage therapist was granted $200,000 bail with a surety when he appeared before a Chaguanas Magistrate today charged with one count of sexual touching of a nine-year-old girl.

The accused was also ordered by Magistrate Adrian Darmanie to keep at least 100 feet away from the child.

He will reappear before the court on April 19th.

The defendant, who resides in Caroni, was arrested and charged on Saturday following an investigation launched into the details of a report made in April 2020 by a nine-year-old girl that she was allegedly sexually touched at a business place.

According to the girl, while at a business place, a man told her to remove her clothing and to lay on a mattress. He then allegedly proceeded to massage her, rubbing cream along her leg and private area, in the absence of her father.

The suspect was subsequently charged with the offence by WPC Wilson of the Central Division Child Protection Unit (CPU).

The investigation was headed by W/Supt (Ag.) Claire Guy Alleyne, W/Insp (Ag.) Haynes and W/Sgt (Ag.) Hospedales of the CPU.