Man allegedly beats friend for refusing kiss

A 33-year-old music producer denied claims that he assaulted his childhood friend after she refused his kisses.

It was shared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court yesterday that on December 19, 2021 at 4 a.m., Kimani Richards and the complainant were at a property along Mannings Hill Road. It is alleged that he kissed the complainant but she refused his romantic gesture. She then called her boyfriend and informed him about Richards' actions.

Richards reportedly got upset and began hitting the complainant all over her body, causing swelling and bruising. Richards pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm on Monday.

"Did you kiss her?" Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque pressed. "Yes, Your Honour but that was a long time ago," the accused man replied.

"Okay, but she is saying that you did after that, when she called her boyfriend. Anything like that happened? You have any idea why she would make up a story like that against you?" Cole-Montaque asked further.

"Yes, Your Honour. Her former boyfriend, me and him don't 'gree well," he shared with the court.

"So she has a loyalty for her former boyfriend to the extent that she would tell a lie on you?" the senior judge probed, but Richards remained mum.

Troubled by the utterances and inconsistencies with Richards' explanation, the jurist imposed a bail condition, ordering the accused to have no contact or communication with the complainant.

He was also made the subject of a fingerprint order and is expected to return to court on February 21, when the matter is set for mention.