Woman who was savagely beaten by toshao’s daughter seeks justice

Oct 08, 2023 News

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Kaieteur News – A 41-year-old woman of Santa Rosa, Moruca who was savagely beaten by the daughter of the village Toshao, is seeking justice after the village leader allegedly bullied her into accepting a settlement in the case.

Bernadine Cornelius, a single mother of four, was assaulted by the woman, Stacy Stanley, back in April this year after Stanley accused the woman’s son of stealing a purse containing money.

Reports are that in the wee hours of April 17, 2023, Cornelius was at home around 01:30hrs when a car load of persons arrived at her home. Stanley approached the woman’s home and requested to see her 14-year-old son who she accused of stealing her purse.

According to a relative, Cornelius woke her son and he admitted to picking-up the purse at a wedding earlier that night which Stanley and others attended. He said he hid it at a location in the nearby village of Poloma.

Stanley, who was accompanied by several siblings, aggressively urged Cornelius and her son to enter a car and visit the scene where the young man hid the purse. However, when they arrived at the location, the teen could not find the purse. He also informed Stanley that he recalled seeing $13,000 in the purse and a phone, the latter which he gave to his friend to keep.

Reports are that the Stanley and her affiliates then assaulted the woman’s son as he searched for the purse. “Them beat he bad, they bank he and beat he up,” a relative said.

Cornelius, on seeing her son being beaten by the group, went to his aid, however, Stanley became aggressive and pushed the woman to the ground and stomped her several times. The group then entered the car and drove away leaving the hapless woman and her son in the darkness.

The woman and her son started looking for the roadway when they heard a car in the distance. Several minutes later, Cornelius related to relatives, Stanley appeared with the carload of persons and ordered the woman and her son into their car while leveling expletives at the woman and her son.

Reports are that the group informed the woman that they will report the matter to the police at Acquero Police Station and issued several threats at the time.

Beaten during the drive

According to a relative, during the drive, Cornelius looked in Stanley’s direction and the latter grabbed the sickly woman and assaulted her by punching her in the face while grabbing her hair. “Stacy cuffed her in her eyes while cussing her,” the relative noted.

The car then stopped in front of Cornelius’ home and Stanley’s associates bungled the victim and her son out of the car.

Moruca residents noted that Stanley has been ill for years and at the time of the assault, she was using medication for her ailment. They noted too that the woman’s husband died many years ago and she raised her children as a single-mother.

Police intervene

Cornelius’ relative told this publication that the day after the incident, Stanley and her relatives visited the police station and reported that Cornelius’ son had stolen a purse which contained cash and a phone. The woman’s relative noted that Stanley and her relatives gave conflicting information about the amount of money which the purse contained. “They started by saying is $13,000 then $40,000 then $60,000,” the relative noted.

It was while the police were taking statements from the parties involved, that the officers observed the wounds on the face of Cornelius as well as her son’s wounds. She then related to the officers that she and her son were severely beaten by Stanley and a group of persons during the wee hours of that morning.

The officer on duty then instructed Cornelius to seek a medical certificate at the Kumaka District Hospital. The medical, which was seen by this publication, indicated that Cornelius suffered general pain caused by physical assault.

In addition, officers at the Acquero Police Station at Moruca, charged Stanley with assault causing actual bodily harm.

Cornelius relatives related too that days after the incident Stanley issued threats to the family and informed them that she is well connected. They alleged too that the woman was in the police station at Moruca when a female officer called Cornelius’ relatives to relate what transpired on the night the woman and her son were beaten.

Bullied to settle 

Reports are that when the matter was called before a magistrate at the Acquero Magistrate’s Court at Moruca in July, Stanley did not appear in court. However, her father, Santa Rosa Toshao Stravos Stanley, appeared on her behalf and informed the magistrate that his daughter could not attend court. A date was then set for the case to be called on October 3, 2023.

Cornelius alleged that she was on her way to court on October 3, when she met the Toshao along the road outside at the village office at Santa Rosa and he invited her into his office. “He put me to sit and ask me if I still want to proceed with the matter against he daughter,” the woman told this publication.

She alleged that the Toshao told her to accept a sum of money as settlement. “He started telling me, he will bring up all kind accusations against my son. He said meh son steal $250,000 from he daughter which he said was in the purse,” she said.

She said she got up and told the village leader that she wanted to seek advice from a relative on settling the matter, however, the Toshao related that only he can give her advice. “With that, me walked out the village office,” she said.

He then informed the woman that his daughter could not attend court that day and continued urging her to accept a settlement.

Reports are that the Toshao informed the court that morning that the victim agreed to a settlement of $30,000. However, when questioned how much money she would accept a settlement, Cornelius told the magistrate that she wanted a $100,000 in compensation to settle the matter.

However, the Toshao informed the court that he could not pay that sum since “only a lil slap she get.”

Cornelius said she tried to explain to the court that she was beaten about the body by the Toshao’s daughter and that her body was in pain for days following the incident. She told relatives that she wanted to leave the court and that she wanted to drop the matter since she felt frustrated about the entire scenario.

“That is wrong, totally wrong. Not because he is Toshao that he daughter can beat someone and get away with it,” a relative noted.

Reports are that Cornelius left the court dejected and she told family members that she believes she was bullied into accepting a settlement by the Toshao who used his power as village captain to beat her into submission.

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• Bernadine Cornelius, Moruc, Santa Rosa, Stacy Stanley, Toshao

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