State House attacker sentenced to three months imprisonment 

Bethel Chimezie, the Nigerian national who launched an attack on employees at the president’s official residence – State House, stabbed a Presidential Guard and took away his gun in 2022 was sentenced to three months imprisonment on Monday.

The sentence was handed by Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court after Chimezie pleaded guilty to the offence of discharging a loaded firearm with intent to harm Police Constable Quacy Cummings.

Apart from the sentence, Chimezie was granted three years supervised probation.

“The court started the maximum sentencing guideline at fifteen months and took into consideration the time Chimezie spent on remand,” Police Headquarters said in a statement.

The incident occurred on December 15, 2022.

Following his discharge from the hospital, Chimezie was charged on January 19, 2023. He was not required to plead to the offence of discharging a loaded firearm with intent committed on Quincy Lewis, at State House, Carmichael Street, Georgetown.

Chimezie, who possesses a Nigerian passport showed up at State House – the official residence of President Ali and his family – and confronted the Presidential guard in a hut stating: “I want the President.”

Presidential Guard Telon Perreria was then stabbed five times by the man, who was armed with a knife.

Chimezie was charged separately for attempting to murder Perreria. The matter is still engaging the court.

The attacker then proceeded to disarm a female rank of her gun, walked out of the guard hut, and started firing outside of the compound on Carmichael Street.

Chimezie was shot at by other officers. He received three gunshot wounds and was hospitalized under police guard.