Sheriff bar owners remanded over felonious wounding

Jan 27, 2012 News

A charge of felonious wounding was yesterday read by Magistrate Hazel Octive- Hamilton to a father and son said to be the owners of the Sheriff bar located on Sheriff Street Campbellville.
Parmanand Singh and his son Rabindra Singh were yesterday remanded to jail for allegedly causing serious injuries to David Bacchus, a relative of the Singh’s landlord.
Singh junior and senior allegedly beat Bacchus to maim, disfigure or to cause him grievous bodily harm on January 23.
The police claimed that the Singhs who reside at Lot 205 Lusignan East Coast Demerara, had beaten Bacchus and then sought to leave the jurisdiction. They alleged that the day after the alleged beating, Rabindra Singh was about to board a flight to Trinidad and Tobago but was pulled off the plane by police officers.
The police further claimed that by that time, Rabindra’s father had already escaped to Suriname. The officers claimed that upon hearing of his son’s arrest, Singh senior came back to Guyana and presented himself to the police.
The Singhs were represented by Attorney- at- law Glenn Hanoman, whose submission was totally contrary to what the police are alleging.
He first pointed out to the court that the claim that the senior Singh exited the country was a fabrication. He claimed that the police had no evidence to prove this.
Hanoman then claimed that powerful forces were at the foot of the police’s prompt action.
He claimed that Bacchus and his family had been trying to use illegal means to get the defendants out of the place they were renting.
Hanoman then claimed that the incident occurred after the victim went to the Sheriff Bar and began to destroy the Singh’s property. Hanoman claimed that the Singh’s had invested millions of dollars into their business and the complainant entered the bar destroying tables and chairs, claiming that it was his place.
The defendant appeared in court visibly beaten. He bore a large cut across his face sealed by several stitches. His face was also swollen and he displayed more stitches on his chest when the court asked him to reveal his wounds.
Hanoman was still not done with his submission. He said that the family of the victim had political ties and as such the matter against his clients was being pushed vigorously.
The attorney explained that his clients had on numerous occasions gone to the police station to make reports and none were entertained.
He said he then went to the station with his clients and still no charges were brought against the complainant. He alleged that his clients had been seeking police intervention even before the incident occurred but no action was taken.
However the court subsequently ordered that the defendants be remanded. The police said that they were ready to commence with the preliminary inquiry into the matter and in light of the men already trying to leave the country; the police believe that the Singhs are flight risks.
Rabindra and Paranand Singh will reappear in court on February 3.