The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has advised that a charge be laid against a police officer who allegedly fired shots in the air and severed a power cable that fell on two women and caused them to sustain burns about their bodies.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum yesterday confirmed that the accused policeman was kept under close arrest and the charge could be instituted as early as today. He will be charged with discharging a loaded firearm with intent.
Lukeisha Clarke, 21, who is five months pregnant with her first child, and her friend, Althea McPherson, 31, were rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital during the wee hours of October 10th after they were burnt by the live wires. However, while McPherson was treated for minor burns at the hospital and sent away, Clarke, was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) Burn Care Unit nursing second and third degree burns to her hands, legs and back. She is still admitted at the hospital in a stable condition.
McPherson had informed Stabroek News that she was standing opposite the Good Times Bar, located near her home at Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara (WBD) when she saw Clarke at her stall, which she operates in the vicinity. It was while they were standing together that McPherson said she heard loud explosions like gunshots but she wasn’t sure of the source. She added that she started to panic and shouted to Clarke to run when she saw the cable overhead on fire. They ran but the cable fell and entangled them. At the time, the bar was still open and the street was filled with people as is customary on Friday nights. The people rushed to render assistance to the women but had difficulty since the severed wire was sparking.
They were left unconscious on the roadway for approximately 20 to 25 minutes because of the difficulty in untangling them before being rushed to the hospital.
The women and their families are hoping that justice will be served soon.
