Bar owner freed of assault charge

Aug 03, 2019 News

The owner of the Liquid Love Bar was yesterday freed of an assault charge by Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty after being on trial before her in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Savita Persaud (foreground) and Revelana Smith

The bar owner, Savita Persaud, 33, of Station Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was crossed charge along with Revelana Smith, 25, called ‘Ducky’, of William Street, Kitty, Georgetown, for assaulting each other on April 23, 2019 at the East La Penitence police outpost.
Four days ago Smith was sentenced to serve nine months in prison after she was found guilty of the charge. Persaud later led her defence in the matter and yesterday the ruling was handed down.
Magistrate McGusty in handing down her decision said that based on the injuries she had seen on the parties and given their explanations she was of the opinion that Persaud was merely defending herself during the altercation with Smith and as such she dismissed the case against her.
On the women’s first court appearance, both pleaded guilty to the charge that was read to them individually. However, a not guilty plea was entered on their behalf by the magistrate given their explanations.
According to Smith, she was at the Berbice Prison at a church service when she asked Persaud to find out what time the vehicle was coming to transport them to attend court and Persaud started calling her names.
This led to an altercation between the parties and they ended up before the matron of the prisons where the matter was dissolved.
Smith further stated that when they arrived at the East La Penitence Police Station, Persaud approached her and they started to fight after Persaud again used obscene language against her.
On the other hand, Persaud indicated that she was only trying to defend herself by scratching the other woman’s face after Smith attacked her causing her to receive a black eye.
Smith was previously charged with attempted murder after she allegedly cut off a policewoman’s finger and dealt the woman several chops to her head and hand during a fight over her ‘child father’.
Persaud is currently in prison with five charges against her before the courts. In June, last, she was sentenced to fifteen years’ imprisonment for human trafficking.