Prominent Maraval businessman Emile Elias has been slapped with two counts of committing sex crimes against a 17 year old girl.

The specific charges are sexual penetration and one count of sexual grooming, laid by officers attached to the Western Division Child Protection Unit on Wednesday night.

The victim told police the abuse occurred between September and November of 2019.

Elias, 84, is the owner of NH International and has in the past served as head of the Family Planning Association. 

He was granted station bail in the sum of $100,000. He will appear in court on March 24th.

Enquiries into this case were headed by W/Supt (Ag.) Claire Guy-Alleyne and included officers of the Western CPU, namely, Sgt James, WPCs Beckles, Samuel, Kerr and PCs Noel and Burton. Assistance was also given by Snr Supt Oswain Subero, of the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF), Maraval Police Station, and the Port-of-Spain CPU.