By Sheena Gayle
The Gleaner
February 3, 2011
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110203/lead/lead5.html
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| Reverend Dr Paul Lewis |
The carnal-abuse trial of the Reverend Dr Paul Lewis has been further delayed as the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has filed additional papers related to the case.
Lewis, who is answering carnal abuse in the Westmoreland Circuit Court and perversion of the course of justice charges in the Savanna-la-Mar Resident Magistrate's Court, will next appear before a judge on February 17.
The new date was set after the defence requested an adjournment when Lewis appeared before the Savanna-la-Mar Resident Magis-trate's Court in Westmoreland yesterday.
According to his lawyer, Keith Bishop, "The papers that they filed in court are nothing new, so by law they have a right to do so and we have a right to ask that the matter be adjourned."
Case overload
In addition, Bishop said the Resident Magistrate's Court had several outstanding cases and was not able to hear the perversion of justice charge in court. As such, both matters against Lewis were pushed back until February 17.
With his bodyguard and his lawyer by his side, the dapperly dressed international televangelist seemed calm as he entered and exited the courtroom.
Allegations in the carnal-abuse matter are that in June 2009, Lewis met a 15-year-old girl at a church convention in Little London, Westmoreland, where he was a guest preacher.
He allegedly exchanged telephone numbers with the girl and, in a subsequent meeting, took her and a 14-year-old female companion with him on a trip to Clarendon.
On their return to Westmoreland, the girls reportedly spent the night with him at his Negril hotel, where the alleged sexual encounter took place.
In relation to the charges of perverting the course of justice, Lewis has been accused of paying a witness to coax the girls involved in the carnal-abuse matter.
The pastor's $300,000 bail in the carnal-abuse matter has been extended. He is also out on $300,000 bail for the perversion of justice charge.
Contact: sheena.gayle@gleanerjm.com
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