Latest update January 18th, 2025 7:00 AM
Vindication for mother of four wrongfully accused of damage to property
Odessa Newton
A mother of four, employed with the government for over 20 years, Odessa Newton, is a final year Social Work student at the University of Guyana.
Just last week, she had a charge of damage to property dismissed in the magistrates’ court.
The woman stated, “It’s hard to be accused of a crime, I didn’t commit and for the case to be dragged out for months.”
She stated that she hopes that officers of the law understand their role and the need to execute their duties professionally, with due diligence in a manner that is fair, transparent, unbiased.
Newton recalled that on February 6, last, she received a telephone call from an officer and was told that she was needed at the East La Penitence Police Station in connection with investigation into an allegation of damage to property.
She said that she was subsequently charged and told to return to the police station the following day.
The woman added that after going to the station on many occasions, she stopped and she was called again on February 21 for a confrontation between herself and the alleged victim.
She added that after the confrontation she asked for the matter to be addressed in court because she was not going to pay for a crime, she did not commit.
In fact, she said that she was in her bed at 04:40 hrs on the day and then she went to church the same morning when the victim alleged to have seen her damaging her car.
The woman said what was most appalling to her was the way in which the case was handled, “someone can make a false accusation and be allowed to not come and defend their accusation for six instances in court.”
The woman said that the alleged victim was forced to make an appearance before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman after two summonses were issued.
On the alleged victim’s third court appearance, which was last Monday, she told the court that she does not wish to continue with the matter, hence the matter was dismissed, Newton said.
But after all those court appearances, the woman said that the police file was still incomplete.
This situation, Newton said was truly baffling to her and frustrating to have to be travelling to court for the four months, which saw her making eight court appearances.
She travelled all the way from her home on West Bank of Demerara, which was of much inconvenience to her children and her work.
Newton said that her professional image was tarnished and she had to be grappling to explain to her colleagues at school, church and the nature of the allegation.
The thoughts of her not being able to complete her final year and semester exams plagued her.
“Why this was happening to me, persons would look at me and make utterances of what was published in the newspapers. It was truly traumatic and disheartening experience.”
Despite the case being dismissed and she was vindicated, the residue of the false accusations still lingers, given the digital age where electronic records of everything posted on the web remains.
According to Newton, this may impact her life in regards to gaining employment and seeking references.
She went on to say, “As someone who believes in the rule of law and always tries to be a role model and upstanding citizen, I was quite puzzled as to what and why this was happening.
I would have read of persons being victims of false accusations and things of that nature. And could I never in my wildest dreams believed that I would have been the subject of such an occurrence.”
With what was being said about her, she’s now seeking advice from her friends and lawyers and she is deciding whether to press charges against the alleged victim for defamation of character. She is also considering whether to file a lawsuit against the State for wasting her time.
Moreover, she concluded that she hopes one day the alleged victim will understand the consequences of her actions.
According to Newton, with her firm faith in God and dedicated friends, she was able to make it through and justice reigned, and for such she wish to thank God and would urge others to not always judge.
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