A jury of 6 women and 3 men deliberated for about 2 hours yesterday in the court room of Justice Troadio Gonzalez in the Dangriga Supreme Court, before it found 20 year old Tito Martinez not guilty of attempted murder, rape and wounding.
The incident occurred on June 27th, 2008 at Forest Home Village located about 2 miles from Punta Gorda.
The complainant, a 21 year old female was living on a farm with her common law husband. She testified that Martinez came to the farm while her husband was away and invited her to a creek near the farm.
She said when they arrived at the Creek, Martinez raped her. She testified that he tried to drown her in the Creek, but she managed to get away and hide in some bushes. She said she covered herself with Waka leaves and was rescued by a man the following day.
Martinez gave a statement from the dock in which he denied that he committed the offences. He said he had never been to the farm, and was having an affair with the woman.
Martinez was not represented by an Attorney. Senior Crown Counsel Cecil Ramirez represented the prosecution.
But, Martinez is still not out of trouble with the law. While he was on bail, it’s alleged that he chopped the woman's husband with a machete. He is faced with a charge of dangerous harm for which trial is still pending in the Supreme Court.
