Nassau Bahamas – Rev. Earl Randy Fraser senior pastor of the Pilgram Baptist Church on St. James Road and Bishop within the Full Gospel Assembly was acquitted and told that he was a free man. Bishop Fraser was accused of having sexual intercourse with an underage dependant between July 2005 and February 2006.
The case that dragged on in the courts for months of delay finally came to an end on Tuesday as Magistrate Marilyn Meers handed down her ruling. Magistrate Meers noted that that DNA evidence presented by the prosecution in the case was inconsistent with the allegations.
Magistrate Meers noted that the allegation against Bishop Fraser who a former board member on the National Child Protection Council and his accuser the then 16 year-old who is now 18, should have confirmed that a sexual relationship did occur.
Magistrate Meers explain that is was mandatory for the prosecution to confirm this in their arguments. She noted that whilst the semen collected in Bishop Fraser’s office matched his DNA, the time in which the young girl alleged the sex acts occurred, did not coincide with the time when the semen found was deposited on the carpet. Detective confirmed during the case that the semen found where only three days old, months after the time alleged incident
The packed courtroom heard Magistrate announcement that “due to a lack of evidence” Bishop Fraser had no case to answer and that he is therefore discharged.
Some 16 witnesses were called to the stand including the young girl and gave testimony during the trial. The young girl said during her testimony that both she and her family loved and respected Bishop Fraser and they looked up to him.
The young girl told the court that she was receiving counseling as she had attempted to kill herself, hoping that it would “heal the wounds,” of the trauma she experienced.
She told the court that as a dependent of Bishop Fraser she was sent to him initially for counseling which she never received. The teenager highlighted her fears of coming public with the allegations, with fear of becoming “persecuted” for her revelations.
Under examination by Prosecutor Don Bannister the young girl told the court that she had felt brainwashed by the Bishop, as she described in detail of the allegations. The teenager revealed to the court how various marks could have be found on the Bishop’s genital area, however Magistrate Meers was not open to a request by Prosecutor Bannister to have a professional examine Bishop Fraser in order to confirm whether the young girl was telling the truth.
The court was presented during the trial with items given to the young girl by the accused including two watches, a gold chain and charm, perfume and a red T-shirt.
A voice message believed to be that of her accuser was left on the young girl’s phone and circulated on Internet during the trial. In the recording an appeal to the young teenager for sex was expressed. Having heard the recording family members of the teenager burst into the St. James Road Church and openly accused the Bishop in the midst of the congregation.
Formal charges later in April 2006 were filed in the courts against Bishop Fraser.
Defense attorney Wayne Munroe told the court that the young girl had cropped up many lies on his client and stated that the young girl had accepted sexual favours from other men, including male teachers from her former high school. He suggested to the court that this was a practice of the teenager and that Bishop Fraser was only in his role as a minister trying to help her. However she maintain under cross-examination that she was taken advantage of.
Hundred of Internet chatters began blogging across the ‘world wide web’ upon hearing the ruling that Bishop Fraser was an innocent man. One reader told Bahamaspress.com that Magistrate Meers erred in her ruling to have based her decision on DNA alone and dismissed the chilling testimony of the young girl. Another reader added, “What does this case say to innocent underage girls who are afraid to come forth in abuse cases in the first place? Here is another example where in The Bahamas the poor is locked away without evidence and the rich is set free with evidence.”
Recently a case involving a young boy that was sodomized and murdered was dismissed out of the courts as a judge accepted the defendant’s claim of police brutality. The accused confession to the murder was therefore made irrelevant as the accused walked away a freeman. Another reader said, “Bahamians are crying out for a system of justice system that will get it right and stop causing so many innocent victims turn suicidal with fear in telling the truth.”
Prosecutors in the Bishop Fraser case said they would consider an appeal in the matter, in which they have seven days to give notice.
I agree with KaLisa, only the small man is ever charged. People like Pastors, Politicians or Men in High Society will never be brought before the courts for Rape or Moneltation. It is a shame that Fraser would walk free after taking advantage of a child. How do you expect that child to go on with her life, not knowing who to trust. Now we see why the rape case with Bradley Roberts was droped. She knew that nothing was ever going to come out of it.I think the outcome would’ve been the same, being no case to answer, eventhought there was enough evidence to convict Bradley. They were the Government at the time, so we all know that nothing was going to come out of that situation. And we wonder why the crime rate is so high. If the young men see Pastors and Politicians commiting crimes and getting away with it, then they will always believe that they can do the same. The higher up should be role models for the young men in our society today.
it pains me to see things like this happen if that had been a hotel worker or any normal preson they would be lock up in no time ,but a pastor he should know better that was a child …
It breaks my heart to know that a case like this was drop because of poor representation/decision. When they re-trail this man (which i hope they do) he gets the full sentence he deserves.
this also reminds me of a case that I read about in a news paper in turks Island where this 70 years old school bus driver and a layreader in a popular church sexual molested 13 school ranging from agaes nine to thirteen years old. He was found guilty on all twenty three counts and was given a two years suspended sentance and he is right back on the pulpit with his hands all lifted up and leading the church in prayers on sunday mornings some of his follow church members too were on his side until two sisters in the church made them to know that they too were sexual molested by this same man during their childhood, so you can only imagine the many others befoe those ten little girls who are scared and traumatized for life and the pastor of the church got up and preached saying that there is restoration for this man..it is time for us as a people and especially those who professed to be christains to stop compromising sin.
This is the reason why so many reports of rape and sexual violence go unreported , because if the accused is a or suppose to be of high standard in soicity or is from a rich well named family justice is not serve, something stinks and it’s the judical system. he was a man who was placed in a position of trust and was on the National Child Protection Council and he knew better and to see his members might as well come right out and say that it was okay for him to do what it is alleged that he did , but we must also remember what goes around comes around and when our time comes around we will like to get justice. Its things like this that also contributes to the crime rate because in some cases victims of sexual abuse becomes criminals and we go blaming that police that they are not doing their jobs…
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