Businessman Jamaal Antonio Reifer has been charged with two sexual offenses and – in his absence – granted bail.
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Reifer, a 38-year-old self-employed man of #24 Apartment 1, Leadvale, Christ Church, has been charged with indecently assaulting a minor between June 1 and September 1, 2021, and a second count of having sexual intercourse with her sometime between July 1 and September 1, 2023, without her consent, knowing that she did not consent, or was reckless as to whether she did. Both matters are indictable.
When the indecent assault matter came up before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes in the District “A” Magistrates’ Court No. 1 recently, the prosecutor, Sergeant Randolph Boyce, objected to bail for the accused.
Among his grounds were that Reifer had been in a position of trust and was now facing two allegations in relation to the same complainant, even though one of them was in a different jurisdiction. He added that the accused was already on bail in another matter.
Further, the prosecutor felt that the complainant needed to be protected and he expressed concern regarding the possibility of the accused interfering with the complainant.
Speaking on behalf of his client, whom the court learnt is suffering from COVID-19 and therefore could not appear, Senior Counsel Andrew Pilgrim said that the allegation was of some vintage, since the time period of the alleged offence was 2021.
In relation to Reifer’s second charge, the lawyer felt there was only one matter currently before the court and only one for which the magistrate ought to be considering the question of bail.