PPP/C candidate accuses APNU supporters of assault

A Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) candidate in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) is alleging that she was beaten by a mob of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) supporters on Wednesday in the presence of Police Officers who rendered no assistance.

Lloyda Angus of Number 29 Village, West Coast Berbice, who is also the Chairperson of the Trafalgar/Union Development Community Development Centre (CDC) says the incident occurred outside of the Fort Wellington Police Station. According to the 56-year-old woman, the incident occurred just as she was released from the said police station after an earlier arrest on a report that she had ballot boxes at her home and had spat on an APNU supporter in Election Day.

According to Angus, at about 13:00h, a group of about 20 APNU supporters started a protest in front of her West Coast Berbice home, demanding that she hand over the CDC keys to them. “They start to sing and chant in front of the house and calling me out but I did not come out.”

Angus related that the group then left and went to the Fort Wellington Police Station and returned with two Police Officers and about 100 APNU supporters. “The Police come and open the house and come inside and start to tumble up the whole house and I run and hide under the bed.” The 56-year-old woman says she was pulled from under the bed, handcuffed and taken out of the house where she was placed into a vehicle. “The Policeman tell them to put on the song and they start to play the APNU song.”

According to the PPP/C candidate, at the Fort Wellington Police Station she was accused of spitting on one Floyd Bell on Election Day. “I don’t go into that shop that he say I went and spit on him because me and those people don’t talk,” the woman said.

“When we were going to the police station, I tell them that I will report it to Comrade Rohee and they tell me that Rohee time done; this is APNU time.”

According to Angus, after the Police took a statement from Bell, the officer received a telephone call and told her that she was free to go. “When I go outside they start to cuff me and I ask the Police if they see, and they did not answer and when I tell them that I want to make a statement they tell me that they don’t want to hear anything from me.”

Angus told Guyana Times International that a senior officer arrived and ensured that she was able to leave safely. However, according to Angus, she was fearful that the mob might have returned to her home, so acting on advice, she was taken to a safe home.

In an invited comment, Commander of B Division (Berbice), Assistant Commissioner Brian Joseph said that the two sides had a heated argument in front of the police station when Angus was released. According to him, it was due to his intervention that Angus was sent away. Police records indicate that Angus and other persons were involved in a heated verbal exchange but there was no physical contact.

Joseph said that he advised that the parties return to the station when this tense period passed and persons started acting civil once again.