A 40-year-old St James mason who reportedly raped a seven-year-old girl, and then gave her $120 for her not to tell her parents, was held during a police operation in the parish, after being on the run for almost two months.
The accused man, who is known as ‘Goosum’, mason of Pimento Hill, St James, was apprehended by members of the Freeport Special Task Force, during an operation carried out in the community of Maroon Town, in Spring Mount, St James, on Tuesday, February 9.
Reports by the police are that, a few weeks ago the child, who was visiting her step-grandmother, was sitting on the verandah of the house, when she was approached by the accused man, who is known to her.
The accused reportedly held unto her hand and carried her to the rear of the house, removed her clothing and molested her, before giving her $120, and informed her not to tell anyone.
But instead, the child related the incident to her stepmother who returned to the yard, and she in-turn took her to the police station, where a report was made.
The accused mason who is also a close friend of the child’s family, has been in hiding since, and had managed to elude the police on several occasions, until he was apprehended at a premises in the community on Tuesday.