DPP recommends Speaker handle investigations into alleged assault on MP

Mar 12, 2021 News

Opposition MP, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley

Kaieteur News – The Director of Police Prosecution (DPP) has advised that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, oversee the probe into allegations that Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, was assaulted by Public Affairs Minister, Kwame McCoy.

This comes after the Guyana Police Force (GPF) commenced its own investigation into the matter.

It was just last Friday, that six Opposition MPs were suspended from the House, after protesting the removal of McCoy over the incident.

Kaieteur News had reported that MP, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, claimed to have been hit in her face with a mobile phone allegedly by Minister, McCoy. Reports are that the two had an exchange of words and McCoy confronted her on the corridors of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Wednesday last, where the alleged assault was said to have occurred.

Minister McCoy, in a statement denied the assault allegations. He did admit however to a verbal altercation. Giving her account, Halley told the media during a press conference that she remains traumatized over the incident, with there being a possibly that McCoy may be charged.

She recounted that during the 2021 Budget Estimate considerations, she had observed Keith Lowenfield, Chief Elections Officer (CEO), being harassed by Minister McCoy and others on the corridors of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC). She said that she had signalled to Lowenfield to leave the ACCC and avoid confrontation, but this led to Minister McCoy following her with his phone.

Seconds later, the MP said, McCoy struck her to the temple with the mobile device. Halley relayed as well that she has since obtained a medical, which revealed that she suffered “head trauma.”

With regards to video evidence, the MP informed that no camera was pointing in the direction where the incident occurred. This coincides with statements made by the Prime Minister, Mark Phillips, who had disclosed that camera footage reviewed in his presence and that of other Opposition MPs revealed no indication of physical assault.

While it was reported that several persons witnessed the alleged assault, to date, there has been no indication of who those witnesses are. Kaieteur News had made attempts to ascertain such from the Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon, but he remained tightlipped about the incident.

Harmon told the press, “I don’t have to tell you who are these witnesses. They are witnesses who the police took statements from. These are people who actually saw what happened. It doesn’t matter where they are from.”

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