‘I want justice,’ wife pleads
Fifty-year-old Mohamed Yusuf who was on July 13 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 was yesterday further remanded to prison.
When the defendant made his second appearance before the acting chief magistrate yesterday, his wife Nikolena Boodhoo asked the magistrate to decide what should be the man’s fate in the matter.
Prosecutor Stephen Telford however told the woman that she has to decide for herself if she wished to pursue the matter or not. He further told her that the justice system exists to ensure her satisfaction.
The woman who appeared visibly afraid of the man then told the magistrate that she wants to get justice. “I want justice, my worship,” she declared.
The defendant was later remanded to prison. His matter was transferred to Court Ten for September 13 for the commencement of the trial.
Yusuf of 159 La Bonne Intention Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, was charged with unlawfully assaulting Nikolena Boodhoo, resulting in a breach of the peace on July 17. He was also charged with using abusive language to Boodhoo as well as damaging 14 louvre panes valued $10,000, the property of Bibi Shakela Sattar, all on the same day.
Yusuf on his previous appearance told the court: “I am innocent of these charges.”
On July 13, 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 ah 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 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, “Meh worship me en 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 stated.
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 en gun kill me so I want the law fuh deal with he.”
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 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.
