Onika Beckles, the Presiding Officer who has accused presidential advisor Odinga Lumumba of physically assaulting her, has made a report to police, while he maintains that it was an accident.
When contacted yesterday afternoon, Beckles said she was still traumatized after the Elections Day incident and was giving the police a statement about what had transpired. She explained that she obtained a medical certificate from the Georgetown Hospital which shows that she sustained trauma to her back as a result of being pushed into a grill door.
She added that this was handed over to the police and that she will be meeting with her lawyer, Nigel Hughes, today as “I am seriously contemplating legal action.”
In a brief telephone interview last evening, Lumumba told Stabroek News that it was an accident and that he pushed the woman to get past her. He explained that Beckles was physically blocking his way and “I saw a space and tried to push past.”
He also denied that the woman fell to the ground. He said too that he was unaware that she had been injured.
Lumumba stressed that as a candidate for the PPP/C, he had a right to be in the Polling Station. When asked about the damaged cell phone, he said that he had already paid for the instrument.
Beckles, who was in charge of the polling place at Neville Wray’s residence, said the incident was sparked because of her refusal to allow in a PPP/C observer who turned up with no identification. It was shortly after this that Lumumba and three men arrived with their guns noticeable through their shirts, she said.
According to her, Lumumba first started to verbally abuse the policewoman who had denied the observer entry and she went to him to explain the reason for the denial of entry. It was while speaking to her in an aggressive tone, she said, Lumumba pushed her into a grill door.
Beckles noted that Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon called her and apologized on Lumumba’s behalf. “I don’t need an apology from him. Everybody was there then and he needs to apologize to me in front of everyone,” the upset woman said, pointing out that as Lumumba walked out of the Aubrey Baker Road Polling Station, he loudly denied ever pushing her.
She yesterday questioned why Lumumba now wanted to apologize for “something he did not do.” Beckles added that she was humiliated publicly and as a result she wants to pursue the matter. She said she is feeling a sharp pain in her back when she walks or turns and has been prescribed medication for the injury.
Beckles added that she has since learnt that Lumumba had replaced the cell phone of an Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB) observer which was damaged during the incident. Based on what this newspaper had gathered, the observer started recording the episode with his phone, which was snatched by Lumumba and thrown to the floor.
