Six-year-old saves the day

She did not want her six-year-old daughter to be fatherless, so a Guyanese woman took a decision to drop an assault charge against her husband.

Heimchand Dhanpat, 40, of #64 Lukes Avenue, Bayville, St Michael, had initially pleaded not guilty to assaulting his common-law wife Sarone Gilkes on January 11, 2019, occasioning her actual bodily harm when he appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court today.

While there was no objection to bail, prosecutor Station Sergeant Carrison Henry said there were concerns over Dhanpat’s legal status in Barbados, as he too was Guyanese.

However, attorney-at-law Samuel Legay who appeared on behalf of the accused told Acting Magistrate Anika Jackson that his client had sought to regularize his status but the file was currently with the Immigration Department.

An official from the Immigration Department was present at court and confirmed that while Dhanpat had made an application in 2013 it was still being processed.

It was during the time that Dhanpat was awaiting the arrival of his surety that Gilkes had a change of heart.

“This matter arose because there is another woman involved, but the complainant no longer wants to pursue the matter,” Legay told the magistrate.

Gilkes was then summoned to the witness stand where she told the magistrate she wanted the charge dismissed.

“I would like to drop the case because I have a six-year-old daughter from him and she needs her father . . .” she said.

Magistrate Jackson then dismissed that matter.