FOLLOWING last Sunday’s incident where James Welch brutally chopped his stepson Roy Saunders, also known as ‘Ragga’, the injured man’s condition is said to be unstable. According to the victim’s mother, Elaine Jones, when she visited her son at the hospital, he was complaining about the severe pain he was still experiencing about the body, particularly the right eye and hands.

“He get a chop on his left wrist and his hand was paralyzed so he went to theatre yesterday (Sunday) to do a surgery,” Jones explained.

She said that her son pointed out to her that he was having difficulties in seeing clearly and that he was afraid that it might lead to blindness.

The woman recounted that, at the time of the incident, she was in church when she received a call from her son telling her about the problem that had arisen earlier, which eventually triggered the mishap.

She stated that the two never got along as the stepfather was always jealous of her son. “They never use to talk, even if Roy try to say good afternoon or good morning out of respect, he would totally ignore him,” Jones said.
Saunders, a miner who only stays with the family on a regular basis when he is out of the interior, had only been home for some three weeks or so.

James Welch has since been arrested and is currently in police custody waiting for a court date.
About 9:30 hrs on Sunday July 17th, screams summoned residents of the Mocha Housing Scheme to see a stepfather brutally chopping his stepson following an altercation they had about the misuse of a gas stove.

Neighbours said that they heard the men arguing and shortly after there were sounds of screams coming from the yard.

“When I look I see James, the stepfather, running behind ‘Ragga’ with the cutlass, and I shouted out to him and when he turn round he get the chop straight over he eye,” the neighbour said.

“I started screaming for help and then some people tried their best to stop him, but they end up getting injured instead,” the neighbour said.

Saunders was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Hospital where he received medical attention.