Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Jailed babysitter released on bail pending appeal
Fatima Martin, the 19-year-old babysitter who was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for the assault of a one-year-old baby was yesterday granted $100,000 bail.
Lawyers working pro-bono on her behalf secured her release pending the appeal of her sentence.
Attorney-at-Law Sase Gunraj said yesterday that the woman was granted bail and it is hoped that she would post the sum today. A foreign philanthropist has offered to provide assistance following her release.
19-year-old
Fatima Martin
The attorney told Kaieteur News that the appeal which was filed on Tuesday, speaks to the severity of the sentence and that the Magistrate ought not to have come to such a finding based on the information that was presented.
Martin, who performed babysitting duties, among other things for sitting Magistrate Geeta Chandan and husband, Attorney-at-law Joel Edmond, was jailed last week after she assaulted the couple’s one-year- old baby girl.
Martin appeared before Magistrate Sueanna Lovell and pleaded guilty to the offence before the sentence was handed down. However, there was public reaction over the manner in which the young woman’s case was handled.
She has made allegations against the Magistrate who she claimed assaulted her repeatedly while the husband allegedly threatened to shoot her.
Lawyers have even stated that when they visited the woman she had marks about her body.
It is also alleged that the Martin was not told of her rights following her arrest, nor was she offered to say anything in her defence. When the matter was called at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court it was held in-camera, the lawyers said.
While the complainants were represented, including an attorney representing the interest of the injured child, Martin was without a lawyer. Allegations are that the woman was not asked to make a statement or asked whether she had anything to say.
Attorney Christopher Ram told Kaieteur News on Tuesday that he interviewed the woman on Sunday last in his capacity as Secretary of the Guyana Bar Association.
With him was Attorney Mohamed Ali, an executive of the Bar.
Gunraj and Emile Dotson are said to be active in the appeal.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Land, taxes and penalties
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News-The American humorist Will Rogers once remarked that the best investment on earth is earth... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
