Self-proclaimed Trinidadian spiritual leader indicted for allegedly raping two women

A self-proclaimed Trinidadian spiritual leader has been indicted in Brooklyn, New York for allegedly raping two women after incapacitating them.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Nigel Kennedy, 51, of East Flatbush, Brooklyn has been indicted on rape and related charges for allegedly incapacitating two women during religious ceremonies on two separate occasions, causing them to lose consciousness and then having intercourse without their consent.
“We allege that this defendant is a sexual predator who used his religious stature to lure women, then drugged and raped them,” Gonzalez said in a statement.
“We will now seek to hold him accountable for these despicable alleged acts,” he added, urging anyone else who may have been allegedly victimized by Kennedy to call the District Attorney’s Action Center.
Gonzalez said Kennedy was arraigned before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice William Miller on a 13-count indictment, in which he is charged with first- and third-degree rape, first- and second-degree sexual abuse and other related charges.
He was ordered held on US$35,000 bail and to return to court on December 11.
Kennedy faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top count, Gonzalez said.
The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, Kennedy had owned a religious goods store and held himself “out as a religious and spiritual leader.
“He allegedly met the victims in this case at the store,” Gonzalez said, noting that on August 30, 2016, a 42-year-old woman accompanied the defendant to an apartment on East 52nd Street in East Flatbush for the purpose of a church ceremony.
Kennedy allegedly started chanting and poured a clear liquid that tasted like alcohol into the victim’s mouth.
“The victim lost consciousness and, when she came to, felt a person on top of her but was unable to move,” Gonzalez said.
“She lost consciousness again and woke up at 5 a.m. the next day, naked on a bed, the evidence shows. ,The defendant allegedly told her he didn’t know how she got naked, and the victim left, suffering from nausea, vomiting and dizziness throughout the day,” Gonsalves said.
He said on May 16, this year a 28-year-old woman went to the defendant’s home for a “spiritual reading.”
“The defendant allegedly blew smoke in her face and poured a substance that tasted like alcohol into her mouth. The victim threw up and became dizzy as the defendant poured more liquid into her mouth, according to the evidence.
“She eventually lost consciousness and, when she woke up, her pants were off and the defendant was having intercourse with her,” Gonzalez said..
“She tried to push him off but could not.The victim told him to stop, but the defendant allegedly refused, telling her, ‘Relax, it’s part of the ritual.’ When he got off of her, the victim left.”
Gonzalez said both victims went to the hospital after they were raped, and sexual assault evidence collection kits were conducted.
He said the same male DNA was recovered from both victims.
Gonzalez said the second victim identified Kennedy, who was arrested on September 7, after arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on a flight from Trinidad and Tobago.
“The defendant’s DNA came back as a match to the DNA recovered from each of the victims,” Gonzalez said.