Port Mourant overseer pleads not guilty to assaulting reporter
The Overseer of the Port Mourant Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) yesterday pleaded not guilty to a charge that she assaulted a reporter attached to Inews, the Guyana Times Newspaper and TVG News.
The charge read against Overseer Budmattie Ramnarine at the Whim Magistrate’s Court stated that on August 15, 2016, she unlawfully assaulted Andrew Carmichael, causing actual bodily harm.
Ramnarine, 48, who was unrepresented, indicated to Magistrate Charlyn Artiga that she will be retaining the services of an attorney before her next court date.
Meanwhile, when the magistrate asked the reporter if he was going forward with the case, he stated “Yes.”
The matter has been adjourned until March 13 for trial.
At the time of the alleged assault, Carmichael was covering a story in regards of vendors of the Port Mourant Market protesting the allowing of persons selling on the outskirts of the market on Friday evenings. The altercation is said to have occurred at the Port Mourant NDC.
The reporter was recording footage when the overseer allegedly pushed her hands in his face, attempted to snatch his camera away and held him tightly on his shoulder, leaving fingernail marks on his neck as a result.
In addition to making a report to police, Carmichael also made a report to the Regional Chairman of Region Six.
The matter has been raised several times at the Regional Democratic Council’s statutory meetings, where an undertaking has been given to have the incident investigated.