–over schoolgirl incident

A GUYANESE national was on Monday handed over to Barbados immigration officials after appearing in the island’s District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on an assault charge.The 48-year-old farmer of Apartment #1 Arrindell, Government Hill, St Michael, who only goes by the name ‘Mankad’, pleaded guilty to the offence, which reportedly occurred on Saturday.

According to the facts read by police prosecutor Sergeant Neville Watson, ‘Mankad’ was sitting on a bus next to a teenaged girl when he placed his hand on her thigh and caressed it.

The teenager reportedly pushed his hand away, and moved to a different section on the bus before taking a picture and alerting her mother about the situation.

It was the girl’s mother who contacted the police. The teen later pointed out the accused, who was in Speightstown at the time, to the police.

In his defence, ‘Mankad’, who said he only has vision in his right eye and was on his way to sell hammocks when the incident allegedly occurred, told Magistrate Douglas Frederick that he did not mean the girl any harm.

He admitted touching her, but said it was a mistake and that it happened when the bus turned and he was left struggling to hold on to the “three big bags” he had with him.

The magistrate then called the virtual complainant, who was accompanied by her parents, to the witness stand, and explained to her what ‘Mankad’ had said, before he offered an apology.

“I am sorry… I just come to make a dollar; I didn’t mean to do no harm to you,” ‘Mankad’ said, to which the magistrate replied:
“As a young girl, she did what was right and her parents took the necessary action.”

‘Mankad’ was subsequently reprimanded and discharged, before he was handed over to the immigration authorities.

(Excerpted from Barbados Today News)