Rape Charge Against T&T Spinner Begins

Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies left-arm spinner, Dave Mohammed, is expected to appear Friday before a Magistrate in a St George's Court in Grenada, as the preliminary inquiry into a rape charge against him is set to begin.

The former T&T youth player was detained on June 29 earlier this year, at the South St George?s Police Station, after a complaint was made against him following an altercation in the wee hours of the morning.

The 22-year-old was released on EC $5 000 bail and was granted permission to return to Trinidad.

At the time of the alleged incident, Mohammed, was one of 28 students attending the Shell Cricket Academy of St George?s University in Grenada. He graduated from the Academy on August 6 along with 27 other regional cricketers.

Mohammed made his regional debut in 2001 and had the distinction of taking a wicket with his first ball in first class cricket. He has so far played in 11 first class matches, taking 34 wickets for 743
runs.

Mohammed toured Kenya and Zimbabwe with the West Indies team in 2001.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has retained the services of the law office of GED Clyne in Grenada for Mohammed.

According to Barry Collymore, coordinator of the Shell Academy, Mohammed - who plays for PowerGen Sports in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control's National Cricket League and who was instrumental in his team winning the inaugural Carib Cup competition this year - has "maintained his innocence."

In an interview in August, Mohammed said that he was at the "wrong place at the wrong time".

And despite the police charge, Mohammed has vowed to continue training hard in a bid to regain a place in national and regional teams.

"I will not let these hurdles be an obstacle in my efforts to move forward with my career and my life in general." Mohammed left for Grenada on Monday.

* SOURCE: Guyana Chronicle.