Man brutally chopped by stepfather

Jul 18, 2011 News

By Trevona Weekes

An alarming sound of screams brought neighbours out of their homes at about 09:30hrs yesterday in the Mocha Housing Scheme.
They were in total shock when a 61-year-old man and his step-son were engaged in an argument that led to a fight and ended in a brutal chopping.
The victim, Roy Sanders, was chopped twice in the face and several other parts of the body. He was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

The wounded Roy Sanders

An eyewitness said that she heard the two men arguing and alleged that the stepfather asked Roy if he wanted to fight.
Shortly after, the resident heard screams.
“When I look I see Carl (the stepfather) with a cutlass coming behind Roy so I start shout and tell Roy run but by de time he coulda run Carl push he down and start firing chops so I start hallering fo help.”
Eleven year old Sharyl Lane and thirteen year old Elroy Gibbons were at home at the time of the incident. Sharyl recalled that she heard her “Uncle Roy” and “Uncle Carl” arguing over an issue relating to a gas stove then they started to fight.
She started screaming for help after the fight broke out.
The children told Kaieteur News that the two men have been embroiled in a dispute for a long time.
The injured Roy Sanders told Kaieteur News that his stepfather had something “boiling away” on the stove so he decided to turn it off.
According to the wounded man, his stepfather got upset and stated that “he dos buy gas in de house too”. So the argument went on for a few minutes and the suspect “start square up fo fight”.
Roy said that he wasn’t going to “make a big scene” out of the matter but “da man draw a cutlass on me so I get a knife”. He then went out of the house but his stepfather followed.
As a neighbour called out for help and Sharyl screamed, residents left their homes and ran to the scene. Throy Lewis, a resident, said he assisted in disarming the attacker. He was struck on the shoulder and had to seek treatment at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.
Police eventually arrived and took the stepfather into custody.