The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 24-year-old man raped a 19-year-old woman on Boxing Day 2024 after refusing to take no for an answer, prosecutors told a Supreme Court jury yesterday, as the defence portrayed the complainant as a vindictive former partner.

Denaveo Sweeting, 24, was in court as closing submissions were delivered in his rape trial before Justice Renae McKay.

Sweeting is accused of raping the teenage complainant at her residence in New Providence on December 26, 2024.

Defence attorney David Cash said his client is innocent and maintained that Sweeting never forced himself on the complainant.

Mr Cash said his client exercised his right not to testify and that the case rested on two conflicting narratives. He argued that the prosecution failed to produce evidence supporting the allegation.

He said Sweeting admitted to being in relationships with two women at the same time before the alleged rape, one of whom was the complainant. Mr Cash described the complainant as a vindictive and dangerous woman with an unhealthy relationship with the truth.

He told the court that the complainant knew about Sweeting’s girlfriend and had slashed his car tyres after seeing a WhatsApp status showing the two together. He also alleged that she confronted Sweeting at his workplace in the tourism sector.

Mr Cash said the complainant claimed she and the defendant had a ‘meet up and grind’ relationship. He argued there were inconsistencies between her police report and her testimony, noting that she did not mention being chased by the defendant in her testimony, despite including that claim in her initial report.

The defence also said the complainant raised the issue of rape in a WhatsApp conversation in October 2024, months before the alleged incident.

Mr Cash questioned why the complainant took four days to report the alleged rape and why the first person she told was the defendant’s girlfriend rather than her own father, who is a police officer. He also noted that while the complainant claimed Sweeting ejaculated on her back and that she showered afterwards, police did not collect the towel as evidence. He said no medical evidence was produced to support claims that she was cut during the assault.

Mr Cash submitted that Sweeting went to the complainant’s home at her invitation and that she intended to have sex with him.

Prosecutor Erica Ingraham, however, said the defendant went to the complainant’s home unannounced on the afternoon of the incident. Once inside, she alleged that he removed the towel from her body and choked her against a wall. He then allegedly inserted his finger into her vagina, bent her over a couch, and raped her.

Ms Ingraham said the defendant did not want to hear the word no. She said the complainant was hesitant to report the matter because she was unsure whether she would be believed, adding that victim-blaming is prevalent in The Bahamas. She also noted that the complainant was a teenager at the time of the alleged offence.

While seven witnesses testified, Ms Ingraham acknowledged that the case ultimately turned on what the complainant and the defendant said occurred.

She told the court that the complainant met Sweeting in November 2023 and believed they were in a committed relationship. The complainant met his family and received what was described as motherly advice from his mother.

In January 2024, the complainant saw a WhatsApp status showing Sweeting with another woman. She admitted to acting “dumb” afterwards, but said she paid for the damage she caused.

By June, the prosecution said, the complainant realised Sweeting was in another relationship and let him go. Ms Ingraham said the complainant no longer wanted him.

She said both the complainant and Sweeting’s girlfriend later confronted him at his workplace, at the girlfriend’s suggestion, and that the complainant learned at that point the girlfriend was pregnant.

Ms Ingraham questioned why Sweeting kept disappearing messages activated on WhatsApp after the allegations arose and submitted that he intentionally attempted to delete chat history. She said the complainant took screenshots of their exchanges and read messages in which Sweeting said he still wanted the complainant.

The prosecution argued that the accused could not handle rejection.

Ms Ingraham said the complainant had just come out of the shower and was wrapped in a towel when she answered the door and told Sweeting he had to leave before the alleged rape occurred. The complainant testified that her mouth was muffled by a cushion during the incident and that she later questioned Sweeting about his actions.

The complainant told the court that if she wanted to have sex with the defendant, she would have called him.

The prosecution challenged Sweeting’s claim that the complainant initiated sexual contact, questioning why a man allegedly fingering someone would suddenly remember he had a girlfriend and then leave.

Ms Ingraham said the complainant had moved on and was in another relationship before the alleged rape and remains with that partner.

She acknowledged that the report was made outside the 72-hour window for collecting biological evidence. She also noted that on June 24, 2024, the complainant said she was done with the defendant.

After pointing out that the complainant became emotional while recounting the alleged rape during a police confrontation, Ms Ingraham urged the jury to consider all the evidence.

In addition to Ms Ingraham, Vashti Bridgewater appeared for the prosecution.