Bus driver charged over assault of estranged wife

Minibus driver Winston Nobrega was yesterday charged with abusing and assaulting his estranged wife.

Nobrega, 43, of Lot 4 Belmont, Mahaica, denied the allegations against him that on June 3 at King Street, he assaulted and made use of abusive language to Shamara Chichester-Nobrega.

The two have been living apart for approximately three years, Magistrate Sueanna Lovell was told when the matter was called at the Georgetown Magistrates Court.

According to Prosecutor Renetta Bentham, around 6pm on the day of the alleged attacks, Chichester-Nobrega was sitting in a car at the East Coast bus park when the accused approached her saying, “you’re a [expletive] dog” and held onto her neck and tried to pull her out. Bentham said he was stopped by the driver of the car.

Counsel for the accused, Collis Baveghems, told the court that his client was trying to take his child away from his wife because he had been crying as his tour fees had not been paid.

Counsel advanced that this is what led to the charge, contrary to the virtual complainant’s allegations.

The magistrate granted Nobrega bail on both charges—$60,000 for the assault charge and $20,000 for the abusive language charge—and also placed him on a bond to keep the peace pending the outcome of the matter.

The case will be called again on June 24.