‘I does knock she but not as bad as she’s saying’

-Industry man remanded after admitting to abusing wife

After admitting that he beats his wife, an Industry man was remanded to prison yesterday.

Jamal Yusuf, of 169 Industry Crown Dam, pleaded not guilty when Magistrate Alex Moore asked him if he had threatened his common-law wife Priya Doodnauth on November 23. The alleged threat occurred at 10th Street, Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara.

According to Prosecutor John Singh, the couple was in a relationship for five years but it was abusive. The prosecutor said the woman fled to Trinidad to get away from the abusive relationship but subsequently returned to Guyana.

He said Doodnauth was returning home with her child when she was spotted by Yusuf, who confronted her in a fit of anger and snatched the child away. The prosecutor said Yusuf’s alleged words were, “Do you want me to trip out and slap you?”

Doodnauth then addressed the court and recounted her story with tears streaming down her face. She said it was not the first time she had reported Yusuf to the police but she did not pursue the previous complaints.

Doodnauth said she was fearful for her life because her husband brutalises her. She said he even beat her when she was four months pregnant.

When the magistrate asked Yusuf if this was true, he said, “Yes. I does knock she but not as bad as she’s saying.”

 

The prosecution objected to bail based on the grounds that the woman had attempted to resolve the issues, she had made several reports before, and Yusuf was abusive to her while she was pregnant.

As a result, the man was remanded to prison.

The case will be called again on December 11 at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.