A vendor was yesterday placed on bail after she denied assaulting a city police officer and escaping from a police outpost.
Vendor Onika Miller, of Lot 79 Fourth Street, Vigilance, East Coast Demerara, was, however, also fined a total of $30,000 after she admitted to charges of insulting the city police officer, obstructing him in the performance of his duties and obstructing a public way.
The court of city magistrate Annette Singh heard that on April 19, Miller escaped from the Stabroek Police Outpost, assaulted a police officer, engaged in public insult, obstructed the peace officer from carrying out his duties, and obstructed a public way.
Miller denied the first two charges and pleaded guilty to the latter three.
According to the prosecutor’s case, on April 19, at Water Street, Georgetown, city police ranks were carrying out duties when they observed a wooden bench, two pieces of plywood and a quantity of watermelons and papaya being sold by the defendant.
Upon seeing this, one of the ranks approached the woman and informed her that she was obstructing a public way. This reportedly resulted in Miller behaving in a disorderly manner, hurling a series of insulting remarks at the peace officer and throwing a quantity of pineapples at him.
The prosecutor noted that Miller was then arrested and escorted to the Stabroek Police Outpost, from where she later escaped.
Magistrate Singh subsequently fined Miller $30,000 for the three offences to which she admitted, and granted her $15,000 bail on the charge of escaping police custody and $10,000 bail on the charge of assaulting an officer.
Miller is expected to return to court soon.
