Gold miner Kevin Bennette was yesterday remanded to prison for the attempted murder of a Bartica shop owner, who he stabbed during an argument on Boxing Day.
Bennette, of 24 Sixth Avenue Bartica said yesterday that he was only defending himself when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge of attempted murder.
The allegation is that on December 26, at Coomacka, Essequibo River, he unlawfully wounded Dellon Gomes with intent to murder him.
Prosecutor Stephen Telford said the attack arose out of Gomes’ refusal to sell phone credit to Bennette. According to him, Bennette had approached Gomes to purchase credit for his cell phone but Gomes refused, explaining that he could not make the sale as he was ready to close his shop.
Telford said Bennette became angry and reached for a knife he was carrying in his pocket and stabbed Gomes several times.
The court heard that the wounded man was later rushed to the Mahdia Hospital, which transferred him to the Georgetown Hospital because of the severity of his injuries.
Bennette, however, denied Telford’s account of what transpired.
He said he stabbed Gomes because he feared for his life. He told the court that he wanted a packet of cigarettes from the shop but did not have any money and so he decided to trade a small quantity of gold.
He said that after he handed the gold over, Gomes told him that it had fallen to the ground and it could not be found. After he started arguing for his gold, Bennette said, Gomes reached for a bottle to attack him. He said that in a bid to protect himself, he grabbed his knife and wounded Gomes. “Meh worship, when I see he pick up de bottle I din know if he woulda knock me with it, suh I tek de knife and bore he with it first,” he said.
Telford requested that bail be denied, noting that Gomes is still hospitalized and is in a critical condition. After hearing the case, the magistrate granted Telford’s request and ordered Bennette remanded to prison until January 19, when the case will be called at the Mahdia Magistrates’ Court.
