McKeeva Bush Acquitted of Rape and Indecent Assault

The longest serving member of the Legislative Assembly, former Premier of the Cayman Islands and former Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush has been found not guilty of rape and indecent assault in a trial that lasted several days.

The charges stem from an alleged incident that was said to have taken place over 20 years ago, when the accuser in the trial said she drove the politician home after he attended a party for fellow politician Alden McLaughlin at the Sea Inn Bar in George Town.

During his testimony last week, Mr. Bush told the Court that he would never have attended a celebration for McLaughlin, who was his political rival and vehemently denied the charges, saying his only recollection of the accuser in the case was when she had approached him protesting residency rights grants he had overseen for immigrants form Jamaica and Honduras.

Mr. Bush had been accused by the woman of having her drive down a dark road where she said he had sexual intercourse with her and had her perform oral sex against her will.

Bush’ legal team pressed the woman about her credibility and questioned why her own mother did not believe what she had alleged. Her political ambitions were also scrutinised.

After deliberating for roughly four hours, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty in the trial.

This is the second trial the politician has endured this year with the first case relating to indecent assault and common assault stemming from an incident at a Tourism event at the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman.

However after late disclosure of crucial evidence by the prosecution in that matter, it

was revealed that one of the two alleged victims had expressed her reluctance to

press charges and the other did not feel that what the Parliamentarian had done was

worthy of criminal prosecution.

Police officers assigned to the Protocol Office had also indicated that they had not

seen anything of a criminal nature.

Information that was withheld by the prosecution until the cross-examination stage of

the trial regarding some of these facts was ultimately the reason the Court determined

that there was an abuse of process, which could only lead to a full dismissal of the

charges and the lifting of all bail conditions that had been placed on Mr. Bush.

In handing down his ruling at the time, Justice John voiced his concern for the way in which the prosecution went about bringing the case.

He said that the any “right minded person” would have serious concerns about how

the case was brought by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution.

Attorneys close to that case stated that in their opinion the investigation was not

prompted by the women or the police but instead instigated by others.

The Governor’s Office issued a brief statement in the trial’s aftermath, noting that no further comment on the matter would be made until the judges full ruling was received.

After Monday’s acquittal, Mr. Bush addressed the Court saying it is his intention to demand a commission of inquiry into the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and its connections with the Governor’s Office, the commissioner of police, police officers and some senior civil servants

Outside the Courtroom he told reporters he was concerned about being ‘persecuted’ and lamented the burden the trials have caused his family; particularly his wife.

Caption: A jubilant McKeeva Bush addressed onlookers outside the courtroom after being found not guilty of rape and indecent assault.