Former Government Minister Simona Broomes, who alleged that she was threatened at her home earlier this week said that the assault allegation levelled against her driver/bodyguard is “untrue”.
Broomes made this statement last evening during a live video which was broadcast on her Facebook page.
According to Broomes, her driver/bodyguard remained in police custody up to last evening. “….I don’t know if they want to keep Mr Austin for 72 hours and what really is it they going into…..the allegation also against Mr Austin is untrue. It’s not true at all,” she said.
Efforts made by Stabroek News to contact the police for an update on the matter proved futile.
Broomes was on Tuesday faced with allegations that she and her driver/bodyguard threatened and assaulted one of two men, Dion Younge, a PPP/C city councillor, who they confronted in the aftermath of the incident which occurred on Monday morning.
Commander of Region 4(A), Senior Superintendent Phillip Azore had told Stabroek News that both Broomes and her bodyguard were questioned in connection with the incident on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a police source had told this newspaper that Broomes and her bodyguard were detained on Tuesday morning. Broomes was subsequently released on station bail while her bodyguard was kept in custody.
A firearm, which was allegedly used by the bodyguard, has since been lodged
In the live video broadcast on her Facebook page on Monday morning, Broomes, who appeared to be seated in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, was seen following a white car, bearing registration plate PYY 5565.
In the video, Broomes recounted that she was carrying out her normal morning routine when an individual, allegedly armed with a hammer, showed up at her property and removed several “no fishing” signs. Previously persons in her neighbourhood said that they fished in the trenches in the area until the minister took up residence and the signs were erected. She has said that the signs were erected for security purposes as robbers sometimes posed as fishers.
Broomes alleged that the individual said he wanted to show who was in power and running the country, while also using expletives towards her. She alleged that she was also threatened with a gun.
Trailed
After removing the signs, she said, the individual got into the white car, which was parked a short distance away, and it drove off.
Broomes trailed the vehicle to Sophia, where two men exited and she followed behind. One of them was carrying the no fishing signs and a hammer. After shots were fired by another individual, believed to be the person who was driving Broomes, she confronted the men including Younge and repeatedly asked who sent them.
After residents in the area were alerted, a crowd gathered and the interrogation of the men continued.
At one point Younge appeared to have been slapped and there was blood visible on his shirt.
The following day, Broomes said in a video posted on Facebook that while she went to the police to make a report when she then found out that allegations had been against her by Younge.
She said her report was not taken and instead the allegations made against her and her driver were the priorities of the police, who informed her that when they are ready to deal with her complaints, they would contact her.
She related that she was told that Younge alleged that she threatened and wounded him, and that the bodyguard fired several rounds fired at him and also assaulted him.
Broomes said her driver, who was a rural constable and was armed with a service weapon, was later told that he could not leave as the ranks had received “instructions” from Brickdam.
“I did not break the law,” she declared before denying that she wounded or threatened Younge. “I did nothing wrong.”
Broomes yesterday maintained her innocence. “I did nothing,” she said.
She further stated that she visited the police station “several” times yesterday and neither she nor her lawyer were provided with any update. “They said that they were not instructed to investigate my complaints so nothing was being done there. Of course, nobody told me anything,” she added.
The former minister stated that she believes that nothing will be done about the threats made to her. “….I know as it relates to the threats against me, nothing will be done of it and that is fine,” Broomes said.
“As it relate to the allegation against me, whether or not it’s a lie…..and everybody know it’s a lie but whether they go ahead to charge me or not, I would live with that. There is nothing that I can do about it,” she added.
