Four women who are accused of dousing a former friend with acid have been slapped with an attempted murder charge.
The four women, Jennifer Validen, 28, unemployed, of Albouystown, Georgetown, Alana Holder, 28, a Massey Store employee of North East La Penitence, Georgetown, Gailann Marks, 21, of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, and Latifah DeCosta, 26, of Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara, were arraigned this morning at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus remanded them after reading the charge to them.
It is alleged that on January 21, at Princess Street, Georgetown, they caused grievous bodily harm to Renesha Maxwell with intent to murder her. They were not required to give a plea.
According to a report from Police Headquarters, on the date mentioned at about 20:40 hrs, Maxwell, 24, of West Ruimveldt Georgetown, and her friends had a disagreement. The woman then took a taxi at Leopold Street. While traveling, she observed that a car was following her. She told the driver to stop and when he did, she allegedly saw the four women exiting the trailing car and approaching her. One of the women then threw a liquid substance on her and she immediately felt a burning sensation about her body.
She was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she was admitted with burns to her back and left hand.
The Police Prosecutor told the court that Maxwell is still hospitalized and has suffered severe burns. The Prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds of the substance used and the severe injuries obtained. The car was also damaged. The Prosecutor also told the court that the women were friends and that the women may be flight risks. Further, the court heard that the women might attempt to harm Maxwell again.
But attorney-at-law Dexter Todd, who represented Holder and Marks, objected to this and said that the women have cooperated with the police from the start. He acknowledged the seriousness of the offence but he said the court should take into consideration that the accused are willing to abide by conditions that are attached to reasonable bail.
Bail was, however, denied and the matter was adjourned until February 25.
