Lethem businessman on bail for unlawful wounding

A businessman was on Wednesday granted bail by a city magistrate after he was read an unlawful wounding charge.

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan read the charge to Lawrence France, 37, who is alleged to have unlawfully and maliciously wounded Seon Brewster, on December 9, at Tabatinga, Lethem.

France, the owner of a restaurant and taxi service, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Attorney Jerome Khan, who appeared on behalf of the defendant, told the court that his client, on December 3, was the subject of an attempted assassination at the hands of several persons, including Brewster. According to the attorney, the Lethem police are in possession of a taped conversation of the persons’ failed assassination attempt on his client, and that the matter is being investigated.

He added that the December 9 matter is a fictitious one, an effort to prevent France from pursuing the attempted assassination charge.

The court heard that on the day of the alleged incident the defendant was at home, and was arrested several days later. Khan then made a request for reasonable bail. The Chief Magistrate granted France, of 86 Tabatinga, Central Rupununi, $70,000 bail and ordered him not to go within 50 feet of the complainant. The matter will be heard at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court on March 7, 2017.