BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A Molineux resident walked out of the Basseterre High Court yesterday (Feb. 16) praising God after a 12-member jury returned an 11-1 not guilty verdict in his indecent assault case.
Sheldon Augustus was accused of indecently assaulting a 10-year-old female in Molineux on March 7, 2010.
The case, which was tried in camera to protect the adolescent’s identity, saw the self-represented Augustus pleading not guilty at his arraignment which he maintained at the opening of his trial on Tuesday (Feb. 15.
After the prosecution team had rested its case, His Lordship Justice Errol Thomas asked Augustus how he would respond to the allegation, and the accused chose to give a sworn testimony.
After his acquittal, Augustus told SKNVibes that he felt good and gave thanks to God.
“I never meant to hurt anyone. I am thankful to the jurors for seeing the truth. I always play with the little girl, help her mother do anything…feed the dogs. When the mother goes to clubs I would babysit for her. I would never do something like that. When the mother was pregnant I used to help her clean,” Augustus told SKNVibes.
Augustus said he believed the case came about because he got into a fight with the mother’s boyfriend for hitting the 10-year-old girl.
“The mother told me that she did not like how close I was with her daughter, and two Sundays ago I told her that I am sorry and asked her to forgive me and she said yes,” Augustus said.
SKNVibes learnt that Augustus had allegedly touched the girl on various parts of her body.
