A 50-year-old pastor on Thursday appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Principle Magistrate Judy Latchman charged with assaulting and threatening his wife.
Accused: Pastor Hansel Calestro
Hansel Calestro of Citrus Grove, Port Kaituma, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini) denied that he unlawfully assaulted his wife, Della Calestro on August 13, 2018, while in Port Kaituma, NWD.
In addition to the assault charge, the pastor was slapped with a threatening behaviour charge. Police stated that on August 12, 2018, while he was in the vicinity of Citrus Gove, he made used of threatening behaviour towards Calestro.
According to the prosecution’s facts, the man and his wife have been married for the past 26 years and have seven children together. However, as the woman was about to move out of the couple’s martial home following a misunderstanding, he made use of threatening language against her.
Further, the court heard that the man allegedly pushed the woman to the ground after they left the welfare office the following day.
The unrepresented man in his defence told the court “I am so embarrassed, God knows”. He was granted bail in the sum of $30,000 and is expected to return to court on August 22.
