Miner accused of wounding over stolen mat put on bail

Mark Wilson, who is accused of wounding Glenn McCurdy over the alleged theft of a mat from an Essequibo mining camp, was yesterday admitted to bail in the sum of $100,000 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

It is alleged that on July 13, at Essequibo, Wilson unlawfully and maliciously wounded McCurdy.

The 44-year-old miner denied the charge when it was read to him by acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

The prosecution’s case is that on the day in question, Wilson confronted McCurdy, accusing him of stealing a mat (used in the sluice box to trap gold) from his mining camp.

Prosecutor Denise Griffith-Jacobis told the court that after McCurdy told the defendant that he knew nothing about his stolen mat, Wilson began chopping him with a cutlass about his body. McCurdy has since been discharged from the hospital where he was admitted a patient after the incident.

Attorney George Thomas, who represented the accused, said that his client was innocent. According to Thomas, Wilson was passing the mining camp where there was a fracas over the mat and he intervened to assist McCurdy who was being beaten by a group of men.

In a bail application for his client, counsel told the court that his client resides at 40 Supply, Mahaica, and is the father of five minor children.  He said too that Wilson has no antecedents and poses no risk of flight.

Wilson was subsequently granted bail and the matter was transferred to the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court for October 17.