A man was yesterday sentenced to two months in jail after he admitted to assaulting two minibus operators after an argument erupted when he refused to pay his fare.
Mahadeo Seecoomar admitted to assaulting Route 44 bus driver Anand Kumar-Dharampaul and conductress Kunti Deolall, so as to cause them actual bodily harm, on July 20th at Camp Street, Georgetown.
Kumar-Dharampaul and Deolall were also charged with assaulting Seecoomar, to which they pleaded not guilty.
Police Prosecutor Tracy-May Gittins informed Senior Magistrate Leron Daly that on the day in question, Seecoomar caught the bus at Mon Repos, on the East Coast Public Road. Upon boarding the bus, he asked the driver, Dharampaul, whether the bus would be driving the Carifesta Avenue route or the Lamaha Street route because his stop was along the former. Gittens added that Seecoomar subsequently became enraged when the bus did not drive the route which the driver indicated and, at Camp Street, he exited the bus and refused to pay the fare, while stating that he needed the stop at Carifesta Avenue.
After Seecoomar started protesting, Kumar-Dharampaul exited the vehicle to approach him and Seecoomar cuffed him in the face. Seecoomar then picked up a piece of wood and proceeded to hit Deolall.
A report of the incident was made to the Alberttown Police Station and the three were arrested and charged.
Deolall, who was in court on Friday, had injuries about her arm and to the left side of her head.
The prosecutor also informed the court that Seecoomar was known for similar behaviour. The magistrate subsequently fined Seecoomar $10,000 or an alternative of one month imprisonment. However, after the prosecutor objected and said that Seecoomar’s behaviour was severe, the magistrate sentenced him to two months in jail. Kumar-Dharampaul and Deolall were granted their release on $10,000 bail each and they are to return to court on September 6th.
