By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

TWO men, accused of rape, were taken to court yesterday and charged with two separate home invasions where two women were robbed and sexually assaulted.

However, one of the accused, Oscar Ingraham, 27, of Claridge Road, claimed he had no knowledge of the charges being put to him. He suggested that the police were charging him because of his antecedents and pending matters before the courts.

Ingraham, with Marc Charles, 21, of Washington Street, faced two charges each of burglary, unlawful firearm possession, and rape.

They were also charged with four counts of armed robbery in connection with the two home invasions.

It is claimed that the men, on June 4 between 1.30am and 3am, broke into a woman’s home, armed with a firearm, and sexually assaulted her before robbing her off $29,950 worth of cash and brand name jewellery.

It was also alleged that the pair, 21 days later on June 25, invaded another home and robbed another rape victim of two electronic items, an iPad and Macbook Bro laptop together valued at $3,000.

Ingraham and Charles were not required to enter a plea to the charges against them. The chief magistrate informed them that their case was being forwarded directly to the Supreme Court for trial through a Voluntary Bill of Indictment.

The Bill, which will be presented to them on November 1, speeds up the trial process.

At this point, Chief Magistrate Roger Gomez allowed Ingraham to speak, as he had raised his left hand several times when the charges were being read.

“Honestly, I don’t know what all this is about,” he said. “I don’t know these fellas. I have no knowledge of this.”

Ingraham claimed he had been at home with his girlfriend, who is said to have told him that a Wanted poster had been put out for his arrest.

He said he turned himself in to the police to find out what they wanted him for. “I don’t know nothing about no armed robbery, no rape,” he claimed.

He said he was beaten by police and hospitalized for three days as a result. He claimed that the police “because I’ve had a prior experience with a similar matter”, wanted to hold him in connection with these incidents.

Chief Magistrate Gomez noted his complaints and told him that he could present the claims during his trial.

Meanwhile, another man brought to court with the two accused, was charged with receiving the $2,500 laptop belonging to the June 25 rape victim.

Jermaine Bowe, 27, denied the receiving charge. He pleaded not guilty.When the issue of bail arose for Bowe, the prosecution said it needed time to find out if Bowe had any antecedents.

Bowe’s attorney, Tonique Lewis, objected to an adjournment longer than 24 hours, claiming that her client had been in police custody for nearly a week, which she said had given police sufficient time to find his records.

She claimed he had no prior record. She said it was embarrassing enough for her client, charged with a smaller offence, to be escorted to court along with two suspects being charged with indictable offences in front of cameras.

The question of bail concerning this accused will be determined today at 1pm in Court One. However, Ingraham and Charles were remanded to prison until completion of their trial.