Pastor Bernard Andrews of the Dow Village Open Bible Church was granted $300,000 bail yesterday on two rape charges.The 47-year-old Siparia father of one appeared in the Siparia Magistrate's Court hours after he gave himself up to the police.Andrews is accused of raping a teenager twice four years ago.The charges alleged that on a date unknown between August 10, 2010 and October 1, 2010 in Siparia he had sexual intercourse with the teenager without her consent.
It is alleged he also had sex with the girl on a date unknown between July 31, 2010 and September 1, 2010.Andrews told Senior Magistrate Armina Deonarinesingh a friend was trying to reach his attorney but he asked if attorney Ramnarine Soorjansingh, who was in the other court, could represent him.Soorjansingh was asked by the magistrate to make a bail application for Andrews but during the application Andrews's attorney Earl Martin James arrived.
Soorjansingh, however, had said that James worked as a farm assistant at the Siparia school for many years and had no convictions or pending matters.Asking for reasonable bail, James said Andrews was the father of one adult female and had given himself up after learning a warrant was out for his arrest.Confirming he was a first-time offender, court prosecutor Sgt Sheldon Ablacksingh did not object to bail but asked he be ordered to stay away from the victim.
James said Andrews and the victim did not live close to each other.Granting him $300,000 bail with a clerk of the peace approval, the magistrate warned him to have no direct or indirect contact with the victim. James, however, appealed to the magistrate to reduce the bail, particularly since it's the Yuletide season.However, the magistrate rejected his request and ordered Andrews to return to court on January 12.