Months after 22-year-old Vashti Mahase was brutally chopped by her ex-lover, who attempted to kill her when she tried to end the relationship, the man has been released on bail as evidence was reportedly destroyed.
In an interview with INews last week, the young lady’s mother, Zorina Mahase, of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara, explained that her daughter’s assailant was released on $250,000 bail in May.
According to her, the man had confessed to brutally chopping her daughter to the face, back, hand and head with intent to kill her, however, that recording was destroyed when the camera used by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was destroyed when thieves reportedly broke into the station.
Commander of C Division (East Coast Demerara), Calvin Chapman when contacted told Guyana Times that he was unaware of the tape being destroyed. He would only say that the matter is before the court and is expected to be heard again on July 23, 2019.
The 39-year-old farmer of Mahaica was released from the Lusignan Prison, East Coast Demerara, after finally being arrested on March 18, 2019. He had gone into hiding after attacking the younger Mahase on February 24, when she approached him in the presence of a rural constable to serve a restraining order. Following his arrest, he was slapped with an attempted murder charge and appeared at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court in the latter part of March.
An argument reportedly ensued between the two on the day in question and when Mahase turned away to leave, the farmer chased her with his cutlass before firing several chops about her body.
As the attack was launched on the woman, the rural constable ran away, leaving the young woman at mercy of her attacker. Residents in the area managed to intervene and she was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
According to the mother, her daughter was told that it was compulsory for her to be present when the restraining order was served since she needed to identify him.
Safety
Before the attacker was arrested, the family was reportedly constantly threatened by the man who had even told the family “it wasn’t over”. Now that the situation is being handled in a more holistic manner, with support even being offered to the family from Red Thread, the abused woman’s mother spoke of how they feel somewhat safer but are still praying that all goes well for the family.
Prior to now, the woman had complained that they felt threatened because ever since her child came home from the hospital, the man has been trying to call her at ungodly hours.
She still expressed fear in an almost trembling voice, noting that she is still worried about her young daughter, whose life has been affected tremendously.
Recovering
The 22-year-old mother of two was mercilessly chopped which left her with broken bones and several chop indentations on her head and other parts of her body. Although she wants to work and take care of her little ones, aged two and three years old, the woman is unable to operate as she pleases.
Her mother told of how she tries to bathe her babies although her arm was badly damaged. She noted that Vashti had also done surgery to have steel removed from her hand recently which was broken during the horrific scene.
Inews was told that she underwent surgery to repair the sliced bones in her hands too. Her mother had expressed fear that she might not be able to move her right thumb again, as it was nearly chopped off.
Her children, who are very young, would often question why she cannot hold them as she used to and play with them as often anymore. The young woman has been undergoing therapy to restore movement in her arm. (Davina Ramdass)
