WESTERN BUREAU:

The Reverend Dr Paul Lewis, the internationally renowned minister of religion who was arrested on allegations of sexually assaulting two teenage girls, had his travel documents returned to him yesterday in the Savanna-la-Mar Resident Magistrate's Court.

According to Michael Erskine, one of Lewis' lawyers, an application was made for Reverend Lewis to be allowed to travel. The request was granted and arrangements were made to have his passport returned to him on the grounds that he return to Jamaica by January 21, 2010, for the next preliminary sitting, set for January 22.

Lewis was arrested in June, while he was the guest preacher at a crusade in Little London in Westmoreland, and slapped with charges of one count of carnal abuse and two counts of indecent assault.

The allegation

The 45-year-old Jamaican-born preacher, who lives in New York, allegedly took two teenagers ages 14 and 15 on a trip to another parish, and on his return, took them to a hotel in Negril where it is alleged that he sexually assaulted one while the other watched.

Since then, Lewis has appeared in court and several witnesses have taken the stand.