Rowe’s defence to start Tuesday

Parliamentarian Neil Gabriel Rowe is expected to give his side of a rape allegation next week after the prosecution closed its case yesterday by calling its final witness, clinical psychologist Dr Dahlia Gibson.

In preparation, Rowe’s defence team, led by King’s Counsel Michael Lashley, asked the court for its assistance in summoning one of its possible witnesses, Dr La-Tonia Arthur, whose name has popped up in relation to a telephone call more than once as the evidence unfolded before the No. 5 Supreme Court.

Rowe is charged with the rape of a woman on September 18, 2022, at his Kingsland Terrace, Christ Church home.

At the start of his trial, the defence team challenged four people – all women – of the 16 people called as possible jurors, while prosecutor Principal State Counsel Olivia Davis challenged one – a man – before five women and four men were empanelled.

Gibson spent about 17 minutes on the stand giving evidence-in-chief and being cross-examined.

Justice Pamela Beckles adjourned the matter until Tuesday to accommodate the defence with its witnesses, leaving the 45-year-old Rowe open to a number of ways in which he could present his defence. They include saying nothing, speaking from the dock where there will be no cross-examination of him, or taking the stand where he could be cross-examined. In every instance, the defence can call witnesses if it so desires.

The judge, in adjourning the matter, issued the usual caution to jurors not to discuss the case among themselves or allow anyone to approach them about it.

Rowe, Member of Parliament for St Michael North West and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, went on trial on April 7. He has spent the 9th, 11th, 14th, 16th and yesterday listening to the prosecution’s 14 witnesses, including the virtual complainant, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams, Dr Adanna Grandison, Constable Nicole Taylor, Dr Michael Charles, the complainant’s close friend NB and the person who gave her a ride to a party the night of the alleged incident. In one case, the hearing was via Zoom with a doctor who was a forensic witness.

Rowe is being represented by Lashley and his team of attorneys Safiya Moore, Sade Harris and Johnelle King.