yesterday after his girlfriend refused to give evidence.

The man pleaded not guilty to assaulting the 35-year-old woman, causing her bodily harm, and committing buggery on July 1, 1993.

He also denied committing serious sexual assault and sexual assault against the woman.

The woman took the stand in the Supreme Court after lawyers Miss Victoria Pearman for the defence and Mr. Khamisi Tokunbo for the Crown spent most of the day in legal arguments.

When asked by Mr. Tokunbo about her relationship with the defendant, the woman described him as her boyfriend.

"I made a complaint to the Police because we had a fight and I was mad,'' she said.

Mr. Tokunbo asked her what they were fighting about.

"I cannot answer that question because I have a sworn affidavit and I do not want to press charges. We had a fight and it was over,'' she answered.

Mr. Tokunbo asked the woman why she would not co-operate with the Court.

"Because I swore an affidavit. I have forgiven him, and that's it. I was mad when I made the complaint and I am no longer mad. It's been months and I don't hold grudges,'' she said.

The woman told Miss Pearman that after her boyfriend was taken to jail and charged she would visit him every week. "But then officials prevented me from seeing him.'' Miss Pearman asked the woman if anything significant happened while she visited the man.

"He asked me to marry him and we had a mock wedding ceremony,'' she replied.

She added: "Two weeks after the fight which I called the Police for, I went to the Police station to drop the charges but they would not let me drop them.'' Mr. Tokunbo told Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr. Justice Meerabux he did not want to "prolong matters and make mockery of this Court.'' "I wish to offer no other evidence,'' he said.

Mr. Justice Meerabux told the jury to find the man not guilty.

However, Mr. Tokunbo said he was not free to go.

He was remanded in custody to answer other charges.