-after court hears of abuses
‘Meh worship me in want to end up dead like all dem women wah does end up being kill by deh husband. I want to live to see my children grow and have a good education. I really want the court tek this matter into deh hand fuh me…I think is women like me who encourage this sort of behaviour on our self; but I done tell me self that he in gun kill me so I want the law fuh deal with he’
Mohamed Yusuf, 50, was yesterday remanded to prison on charges of unlawful assault, abusive language and damage to property, after his visibly terrified wife told acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson of constant abuse she has suffered at his hands.
Yusuf, of 159 La Bonne Intention Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, was charged with unlawfully assaulting Nikolena Boodhoo, thus resulting in a breach of the peace on July 17. He was also charged with using abusive language Boodhoo as well as damaging 14 louvre panes valued $10,000, the property of Bibi Shakela Sattar, all on the same day. Yusuf, when given a chance to respond, wore a blank expression and said: “I am innocent of these charges.”
A tearful Boodhoo, who explained that she is the mother of the defendant’s children, told the court that she is afraid of the unruly manner in which he behaves whenever he drinks alcohol. “Meh worship, ah fed up a he. All I want is fuh live in peace. Every time he drink, he does get very, very abusive,” she said.
Boodhoo related that on the day the offences were allegedly committed, she was at her aunt, Bibi Shakela Sattar, with other relatives when Yusuf turned up and asked her to go home. She said that she responded by telling him that she would be on her way shortly. She said her reluctance to return home with Yusuf immediately made him angry and he began behaving in a disorderly manner.
According to Boodhoo, he threw missiles at her aunt’s window, causing a number of the panes to break. It was in her attempt to talk to the accused and restore calm that he allegedly became abusive. She said he degraded her verbally and started to beat her in the head and about the body.
Unable to control her tears, Boodhoo related that Yusuf lived in the United States for nine years but recently returned to Guyana and has not been providing for his family. She explained that she is the sole breadwinner of the household while Yusuf is unemployed. She added that he is in the habit of being very abusive, while noting that just recently she made a request to her employer for an advance of salary in order to bail him out of jail on similar charges. “Meh worship me in want to end up dead like all dem women wah does end up being kill by deh husband.
I want to live to see my children grow and have a good education. I really want the court tek this matter into deh hand fuh me,” Boodhoo declared. She added, “I think is women like me who encourage this sort of behaviour on our self; but I done tell me self that he in gun kill me so I want the law fuh deal with he.”
A silent courtroom listened as the woman explained that she loves and cares for Yusuf deeply while it seemed from his behaviour as if he doesn’t care about her. “He is very disrespectful to me. He doesn’t treat me like a human being my worship,” she said.
Boodhoo said that she would often carry the man to lunch to show her love and appreciation since he cannot do the same. She said that it is her earnings along with that of her parents who are overseas that takes care of their family’s needs.
She added also that it was her parents who provided a home for her and children and added that even though she has told the man to leave her home on several occasions he still comes around. She said that his behaviour has not only affected her but has also affected their children psychologically. They are aged between eight and 15. “I really just want us to live like a happy family, but I don’t know like he want to kill me,” she said.
The matter was called to the bench where a lengthy discussion ensued before Yusuf was remanded to prison. He was ordered to return to court on August 7.
