16 years in jail for taxi driver who raped schoolgirl

Feroz Shakeer, the 36-year-old taxi driver who was found guilty last month of raping a schoolgirl, was on Friday, sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment for the crime.

Shakeer had been on trial for raping a 12-year-old girl on December 3, 2015, before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Sexual Offences Court in Georgetown.

Following a trial on June 22, Shakeer was found guilty by a mixed 12-member jury.

A sentencing hearing for the convict was held on Thursday, during which the rape surviour expressed her desire to see him go to prison for the rest of his life.

“Because he raped me when I was a child, only 12 years old. He robbed me of my childhood and turned what could have been a fun childhood with no care in the world into a nightmare,” she said.

Ever since the ordeal, she shared that she has begun having suicidal thoughts.

Shakeer was represented by defence lawyers, George Thomas and Madan Kissoon while State Counsel Cicelia Corbin appeared on behalf of the prosecution.

On the day in question, Shakeer picked up the victim, her cousin, and two other school children from the G3 Mall at Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

He then dropped off the two children, leaving the victim and her cousin in the vehicle.

Instead of dropping them to their requested destination, Shakeer drove to a remote area in Diamond where he raped the girl.