Man gets 16 years for rape

A Belize City man has been handed a sixteen year prison sentence for the rape of a thirty-two year old woman. A jury of six women and three men found Stanley Lewis guilty after several hours of deliberations, which ran until 8 o’clock last night. Lewis, who only gave a dock statement on the advice of his attorney, B.Q. Pitts, told the court that it was a case of mistaken identity as the victim didn’t see him rape her. The incident occurred on August eighth, 2000 when the victim was waiting on the corner of the Western Highway and Western Avenue for a bus to go to work. According to evidence presented, Lewis stopped his vehicle, reminded the woman of their acquaintance and offered her a lift. Lewis immediately started to make sexual advances on the woman, running his hands up her thighs. When she refused he told her he had a gun and would kill her. He also told her he’s a member of a group that raped and kidnapped little girls and young men. He intimidated her by calling someone on his cell phone saying “I have the girl, but I don’t want to kill her.” Upon reaching mile twelve on the Western Highway he pulled his vehicle onto a feeder road and raped her. Prosecutor Linbert Willis presented medical evidence of the rape, which sustained his case. Justice Samuel Awich presided.