After being pushed around for more than three weeks, the wife of Bethel Chimezie, the perpetrator of the attack outside State House believes that the authorities are withholding information from her and that is why she is still not allowed to see him.
“I just want to see what he is like. Know exactly what happen…..There is something there and they not revealing it,” the woman, who asked not to be named told the Sunday Stabroek yesterday.
In an earlier interview last week with this newspaper, the woman had said that she wants answers from the authorities on her husband’s health since she has been unable to see or speak to him since the incident on December 15.
On the sidelines of an event on Wednesday, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn had told members of the media that this should not happen. “I don’t think as of now, there isn’t really any reason why she couldn’t visit…She would have to, more or less, meet him in the presence of a police rank,” Benn told reporters.
However, as of yesterday, the frustrated woman said after making several other attempts she is still unable to visit her husband or obtain any information about his health. “They just ain’t allowing me to see him. They said they didn’t get any order that I am allowed to see him,” the woman told the Sunday Stabroek yesterday.
She said after Benn made the statement, she visited the hospital and the police station on several occasions and is only being “pushed around”.
When she went to the hospital yesterday, the woman said she pleaded with the security guard to see her husband or even update her on his present condition but was told that the staff at the hospital are under “strict” instructions not to divulge any information about Chimezie.
“I can’t know anything of his health. I can’t see him or speak to him…Again while I do, it’s going on to four weeks now and he has a family, we are concerned about his health,” the woman said.
She said during last week she even visited Benn’s office where she was only able to speak to his secretary.
She also met with Commissioner of Police (ag) Clifton Hicken who she said told her “due to the magnitude of the situation that is why it is being handled like this”.
“Right now I just waiting on everybody to call me back and tell me something. Is everybody I go to tell me they will call me,” the woman said.
In the new week, the woman said she will be following up with both the police and hospital.
Chimezie, a Nigerian national was shot and injured during the attack outside State House which occurred around 7.30 am on December 15 at the Carmichael Street entrance.
Demanded
Before he was wounded, Chimezie demanded to see President Irfaan Ali, stabbed Presidential guard, Telon Perreira five times and seized a gun from another guard. He then engaged in a shootout with guards.
This newspaper was informed that Chimezie showed up at State House and confronted Perreira, who was among the ranks on duty at the guard hut. He reportedly said, “I want the President”.
Chimezie then went into a pouch, which he had in his possession, and whipped out a knife that he used to launch the attack on Perreira.
Information reaching this newspaper revealed that Perreira then held onto Chimezie’s hand and the knife and a female rank who was present tried to assist him. This caused the Nigerian to turn his attention to the female rank and he disarmed her of her firearm. Chimezie then used the weapon and started to shoot indiscriminately. Other ranks who were in the area returned fire, injuring him.
Since then, both Chimezie and Perreira have remained hospitalised and the authorities have been silent about the state of the investigation.
Chimezie’s wife, who spent two days in custody after the incident, had told this newspaper on Monday that she met him in April, 2020 and they lived together for a while before they got married just over a year ago. The couple has been renting an apartment at Industry. The apartment was searched by the police during the initial stage of the investigation.
The woman explained to this newspaper that on the night before the incident, Chimezie returned earlier than usual from work and told her that he wasn’t feeling well. The following morning, she said they left home together. She was going to work and he was going to the hospital for a checkup.
The said day, the woman who works at a city hospital said she had to work out of town so she didn’t hear from Chimezie for the day. Later the same day, she said she returned to work and was summoned by her employer.
The police were present at her work place and she was taken into custody during which she learnt what had happened.
