A businessman accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl yesterday was granted $100,000 bail on the condition that he has no contact with the teenager or her family. Bar proprietor Mark Maharaj, 41, of La Romaine, had initially appeared on Wednesday but Senior Magistrate Annette McKenzie adjourned the matter to yesterday because she wanted a relative of the girl in court. The charge against Maharaj is that on dates unknown, between April 8, 2008 and July 31, 2010, he sexually assaulted the girl.
The magistrate emphasised that the accused was not to communicate with them in any form, be it via text message, e-mail or even sign language. Speaking to the girl's father in the San Fernando First Court, Mc Kenzie said: "I asked that a parent be here to empress upon you that he should not have any contact with your daughter, you or any family member." She advised him to contact the police if that should happen. The father said he had been receiving threatening phone calls since the incident.
"I am afraid that the person could do harm to me and my two daughters," he complained. Mc Kenzie encouraged him to take steps to protect his daughters, especially the victim. She told the accused if she was satisfied that he or anyone acting on his behalf communicated with the victim or her family she would revoke his bail and he would remain in custody until the determination of the matter. The matter was adjourned to September 9.
