Magistrate Zamilla Ally yesterday ordered that a defendant in an assault case undergo psychiatric evaluation after the prosecutor told the court that he was informed that the man was mentally retarded.
The allegation against Lester Prince is that he wounded Roopnarine Guptar with a piece of wood on December 27 at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
When his case was called, Prince entered the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court with a sunny disposition. When Magistrate Ally read the charge to him, the man smiled widely. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge.
According to Prosecutor John Singh, Guptar was running on the seawall when Prince approached him with a large piece of wood and fired several lashes about his body.
The prosecutor asked for Prince to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, stating that he had been told that the defendant has a mental condition.
When the court asked Prince if he had been charged before, the man smiled and said, “A can’t remember.”
An annoyed Guptar then showed the court his injuries. The man had bandages on his left hand and his head was heavily bandaged.
The magistrate interrupted the upset man and told him that he will get his chance to speak at the trial.
Prince was remanded to prison and an order to do a psychiatric evaluation was issued.
The next court hearing will be on January 23.
