GEORGETOWN, Guyana, The Court of Appeal has reduced to 25 years the 40-year jail term imposed on Pastor Andrew Hannibal, who had been convicted of raping an underage girl in 2018.
Hannibal had been found guilty of raping a 15-year-old girl between January 29, 2016, and January 31, 2016, in the county of Berbice. The teen was reportedly left in his care for counseling and guidance at his church.
He had argued that the sentence imposed by Justice Sandil Kissoon was excessive. The judge had informed him at the sentencing that he would have been eligible for parole in 30 years.
But he challenged the sentence at the Court of Appeal, and the matter was heard by acting Chancellor Yonette Cummings-Edwards, and Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud.
The Appeal Court affirmed Hannibal’s conviction but reduced his sentence to 25 years with the possibility of parole after serving 18 years. Time in pre-trial custody will be deducted from his sentence.
and then 