Nicki Minaj's brother's rape case goes to grand jury

Nicki Minaj's brother is facing a grand jury stemming from his charges of rape and sexual abuse.

Jelani Maraj, 37, was arrested in New York in December (15) after an unnamed 12-year-old girl alleged he had been raping her for months, with the last encounter occurring just one day prior to his arrest.

He was subsequently charged with first-degree rape and first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child.

And now Maraj is one step closer to going to trial, after his case, which is currently in Nassau County Supreme Court's sex crimes division, was sent to a grand jury on 3 March (16), court officials tell Bossip.com.

In the grand jury hearings, jurors hear from witnesses and review evidence to determine if prosecutors should move forward with an indictment. These hearings are held without a judge and are closed to the public.

If convicted, Maraj could face up to 50 years behind bars.

While his superstar sister has yet to publicly comment on the case, she did post the $100,000 bail for her brother to be released from jail.

According to TMZ.com, the Anaconda rapper put up two of her homes as collateral for the bail bond. The houses, located in Baldwin, New York, are occupied by her brother and her mother.

Court documents obtained by editors at the New York Post show the rapper will also be responsible for the fees associated with securing the bond, which will range from around $6,000 to $10,000 .

The arrest came just months after Nicki reportedly doled out around $30,000 for her brother's wedding to partner Jacqueline Robinson in August (15).

Following the nuptials, Nicki shared her delight of the union with a series of posts on Instagram, writing, "I would cross the ocean for u (sic)... I love my brother so much man. Can't believe I cried during his wedding and his first dance like a punk. May God bless him and his union. Tonight has been one of my favorite nights of all time. I do anything to see my brothers smile (sic)."