AN INCIDENT that occurred at the Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Regional Conference last Sunday, led to two of the party’s members being in Court yesterday. One of them, Sherwin Benjamin, 29, of Lot 218 Pike Street, Kitty, was charged, before Acting Chief Melissa Robertson, with assaulting the other.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the offence, particulars of which said, on May 23, at Congress Place, Sophia, also in Georgetown, he unlawfully assaulted Merlyn Nelson, so as to cause her actual bodily harm.
Attorney-at-law Mr. Vic Puran, representing him, claimed Benjamin, accidentally, hit the virtual complainant when there was an overflow of enthusiasm at the forum.
The lawyer said Benjamin is willing to pay Nelson $75,000 compensation but, after the woman said she would only accept $100,000, Puran advised that the defendant go to trial.
Nelson said she was at the Congress Place meeting when she felt someone cuff her in the face and she fell but saw when the defendant escaped in a vehicle that was parked outside the compound.
Benjamin was put on $50,000 bail and the case was transferred to another Court for June 4. (Nathalene DeFreitas)