Ravjeevan Rai is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy in 1992. Crown attorney David Tice is alleging that Rai duped the teen to go to his Richview Terrace apartment in Toronto to join a mutual friend, who wasn’t there. Once inside the Rai’s home, the prosecution alleged the then 30-year-old Rai forced himself on the teen, who cannot be legally identified. Rai testified that he’s innocent and “not gay,” but reluctantly permitted the teen to perform fellatio upon him after the youth threatened to scream and alert his neighbours.
TORONTO – A convicted killer who testified he was sodomized as a teen sprang from the witness box to try and exact personal revenge against his accused molester and his accompanying lawyer Dan Brodsky.
The now 34-year-old man — who alleged Sikh refugee claimant Ravjeevan Rai anally raped him as a 14-year-old in 1992 — had to be restrained on three occasions by alert court officers this week, twice after being leg-shackled, handcuffed and belly-chained.
Crown attorney David Tice is alleging that Rai duped the teen to go to his Richview Terrace apartment to join a mutual friend, who wasn’t there. Once inside the accused’s home, the prosecution alleged the 30-year-old man forced himself on the teen, who cannot be legally identified.
The alleged victim said the traumatic episode transformed him into a criminal.
The complainant — who was always leg shackled in court because of his violent history and simmering hatred towards the accused — tried to charge at Rai within a few minutes of testifying against him. Court officers then applied handcuffs and belly-chains to further restrain him.
But the witness tried to charge at Brodsky after he suggested the witness forced himself sexually upon Rai in order to extort money from him. The witness exploded in rage and dramatically lunged forward.
Three court officers tackled the witness beside the counsel table.
“He was very cross with my examination on that point. He was hopping mad at me after I accused him of being the sexual instigator,” said Brodsky.
“I think once he calms down, he will realize that the cross-examination was necessary and effective. I’m just doing my job.”
The victim-witness had to be dragged out of court Tuesday to return to his New Brunswick prison where he’ll complete his six-year sentence for three Toronto bank hold-ups. He had already served his 9.5-year sentence for manslaughter in ‘99 for a stabbing incident after a drunken Toronto street fight.
On his way out of court, the witness screamed he could find out where Brodsky lived and would get him as soon as he gets out of prison in “two years, seven months and three days.”
A year ago while testifying at the preliminary hearing, the witness threatened to slit Rai’s throat and when Brodsky asked him if that was a threat, the man replied it was a “promise, not a threat.” The witness confirmed at trial he meant now what he said a year ago.
Rai, now 49, has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and fail to appear. The Sikh refugee claimant — who has no prior record — was charged the day after the Feb. 8, 1992 incident, was granted bail and then fled to India two months later.
His DNA was found inside the teen’s underwear.
Rai was found in San Francisco where he had lived for six or seven years in late 2010 or early 2011 and was then extradited back to Canada last year to face justice.
Rai testified that he’s innocent and “not gay,” but reluctantly permitted the teen to perform fellatio upon him after the youth threatened to scream and alert his neighbours.
Rai is married to a woman and has an adult daughter in India
Courtesy Toronto Sun
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