Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty has expressed complete surprise and disappointment over a statement from the Guyana Police Force directed to her and her handling of an acid throwing case that is currently before her Court.

At the start of her Court hearings this morning, the Acting Chief Magistrate took time to address the Police Force’s press statement issued last evening, which criticized her granting of bail to a man accused of injuring two women by allegedly throwing acid on them.

Magistrate McGusty said the Police Force completely misrepresented all that took place in her Court room and she will now have the audio for all of her proceedings recorded since it appeared as though the Guyana Police Force was served with erroneous information.

She said the Police Force’s statements made reference to statements and information that were never made in her Court or presented to her, expressing surprise over the Police Force’s statement.

In a terse statement on Wednesday night, the Guyana Police Force expressed grave disappointment in the decision of the Acting Chief Magistrate to grant bail to the accused in the acid attack case, pointing to the many recent incidents of violence being committed against women.

The Police had objected to bail, while claiming that it was in receipt of a video recorded confession statement from the accused, admitting to the crime.

The Police Force said despite the heavy prevalence of violence against women in Guyana, Magistrates continue to omit to take this crucial factor into account in exercising their discretion in respect to the granting of bail.

However, the Attorney for the accused in the acid attack case, Ronald Daniels in a statement last evening said after the Prosecutor told the Court that there was a recorded video confession from the accused and that it was also in receipt of a video recording of the actual attack. The Magistrate asked to see the video.

He said the prosecutor committed to produce the video the very next day as the accused was remanded.

The following day, the Prosecutor never produced the video claiming that accused was seen in a car two hours before the incident in the general area where the incident occurred.

Daniels said it was on that basis that bail was granted. He also stated that his client was only arrested for the crime after he visited a Police station to seek the whereabouts of his wife, who was initially arrested over the same acid throwing attack. He was arrested and charged after his wife was released.

Bail was granted in the sum of $500,000 as the matter remains before the Court.

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