A conductor attached to the route 42 minibus was on Friday charged for allegedly battering another conductor with a broken beer bottle during a row over a passenger.
Troy Castello admitted first instance to the charge read by Magistrate Leron Daly,
Troy Castello
which stated that on May 18, 2017, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Virtual Complainant (VC) Tennesse De Cunha.
However as the matter was adjourned for deliberation, Castello managed to secure legal representation, who interjected before sentencing and explained that her client wishes to change his plea to not guilty as he did not understand the serious penalty attached to the offence.
The court heard that the conductor is a resident of Kuru Kururu on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, where he resides with his fiancé and a child of tender age. Castello reportedly has another child on the way.
Reports are on the day in question, the VC’s bus was about to depart the minibus park when the defendant robbed him of a passenger, leading to an argument. It was during this altercation that Castello bashed the VC to the head with a beer bottle, shattering it and causing him to suffer injuries to the left side of the face and a laceration just below the eye.
De Cunha, who made an appearance with his left hand in a cast, spoke to Guyana Times and related that he also suffered severe damage to the tendons in his left hand during the scuffle.
Castello was released on $100,000 bail and ordered to return to court on June 23.
Meanwhile, yet another fight over a customer landed one in court and another in the hospital in a critical condition.
Ron Walker denied the allegation which stated that on June 2, 2017, at Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he unlawfully and maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm to Jailall Sohanlall.
Attorney Darren Wade in an application for reasonable bail related that his client is a porter by trade and a father of one, who resides at Kuru Kururu on the Linden/Seosdyke Highway. Moreover, he stressed that it is important to note that the defendant appeared before the court on his own, having explicitly understood his responsibility to attend the hearing and face trial.
Reports surrounding the incident remain sketchy, nonetheless Guyana Times was told that the injured party was readmitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and is scheduled to undergo surgery today.
Magistrate Daly granted bail to the sum of $150,000 and the matter will continue on June 23.
