-to meet magistrates next week

Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh yesterday referred to the attack on Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Persid Edmond as very serious and “a regrettable and unfortunate” incident.

He said he was unaware of what specific concerns the magistrate might have, but disclosed to Stabroek News that he will meet with all magistrates next week as they have requested a meeting.

Four armed, masked bandits on Wednesday afternoon staged a brazen attack on Magistrate Chandan-Persid Edmond at Letter ‘T’, Mahaicony around 3.30 pm, while she, her baby, Simran and baby sitter Sarita Hardat were returning to Berbice from Georgetown where she now works. The bandits stole the magistrate’s digital camera/camcorder, gold jewellery including a diamond wedding band, bracelet and necklace, a laptop computer, a dual SIM cellular phone, $15,000; her baby’s gold chain and her babysitter’s gold jewellery. The bandits gun-butted the magistrate on her head and face, causing her to suffer swellings and tore her shirt.

The police are investigating.

The magistrate, who lives at Number Six Village, West Berbice and her daughter and babysitter have been making the daily commute since she was assigned to the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on November 2.

Magistrate Chandan-Persid Edmond had said that she noticed the car the bandits were in – a dark blue AT 212 Toyota Carina with two different number plates, HB 3317 at the front and a PKK plate at the back – pass her earlier. It turned around and tailed her for a while before speeding ahead and blocking her path at Letter ‘T’, a desolate area where she was robbed and assaulted.

In July this year, a prisoner had thrown a book at the magistrate in a Berbice courtroom and concerns were raised about the security of judicial officials.

Fears for the safety of magistrates were also voiced prior to this when in April this year Magistrate Nigel Hawke and his wife were attacked in their home at Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara.

Magistrate Hawke was tied, gagged and left on his bathroom floor while a robber armed with an AK-47 escorted his wife, attorney-at-law Donelle Hawke, around their home in search of cash, jewellery and other valuables.