A woman who allegedly chopped the father of her child with a cutlass about his head and body was yesterday remanded to prison by Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle despite the victim’s refusal to pursue the matter.
Nellie Sookra, 38, of Queenstown, Essequibo was not required to plead to attempted murder when she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court. Sookra’s two brothers Aaron called Boyie and Kumar Sookra were jointly charged with her but they have not yet been arrested.
It is alleged that on October 6 at Queenstown, Essequibo Coast, she wounded Matthew Johnson with intent to commit murder.
Johnson had stitches in his head, neck, above his left eye and a bandage on his hand. The chops and all the stitches were still evident on Johnson. He told the court that he did not want to continue with the matter. He also said that he spent two days in the hospital and he was feeling better.
Sookra told the court that she has a one-year-old daughter for Johnson. She said he had returned from Georgetown on the day in question and called her at a shop. She stated that he asked to take their daughter and she refused because he had taken the child once before and she had to call the police to get him to return her. She added that she suffered injuries to her back after bottles and bricks were thrown at her. (She did not state who was responsible). Sookra told the court that although she had left to go to the police she did not go and she was not the one who chopped Johnson. She added that he had interfered with other persons in the shop.
Johnson stated that he does not know who chopped him and he was drunk at the time. He said he didn’t want any problem. When asked if he was threatened to say that he did not want to continue with the matter, he said no.
Prosecutor Sherwin Matthews stated that it is a serious offence and Johnson was hospitalised. He added that Johnson in his statement said that he took away a cutlass from one of the persons mentioned in the charge and that it was the mother of his child who chopped him. He added that if Johnson does not want any further action then the matter will have to go to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.
When the magistrate told Johnson that she had remanded Sookra and the file would have to go to the DPP for advice, he asked who would take care of his daughter when Sookra is away.
Sookra will return to court on October 17.
