THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) has voiced strong disappointment following a decision by Magistrate Faith McGusty to grant bail to Keron Daniels, who has been charged with throwing corrosive fluid with intent against two women, despite objections from prosecutors and the serious condition of one of the victims.
Daniels first appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on September 16, where he was remanded to prison for one day. However, at his subsequent appearance on September 17, Magistrate McGusty granted him bail in the sum of $500,000.

Prosecutors had strongly objected to bail, noting that police were in possession of a videotaped confession from the accused. They also highlighted the grave injuries sustained by one of the victims, Jilicia Leitch, who remains hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Medical officials confirmed that Leitch has lost sight in one eye and suffered severe facial disfigurement.

The other victim, Nirmala Sukraj, was also injured in the attack. Police revealed that Daniels and Leitch had been in a relationship marked by repeated conflict. From her hospital bed, Leitch made a public plea for justice.

The GPF, in a strongly worded statement, lamented that despite the widespread prevalence of violence against women in Guyana, the seriousness of such offences is not always fully reflected in bail decisions. The Force warned of the high risk of repeat offences, particularly when alleged perpetrators continue to have access to their victims.

“Notwithstanding these setbacks, the Guyana Police Force pledges to continue making every possible effort to reduce, if not wholly eradicate, these heinous acts of violence being committed so wantonly against the women in our society,” the statement concluded.

The case has reignited debate over the justice system’s handling of gender-based violence, with advocates pressing for stricter measures to protect victims and hold offenders accountable.