‘No trial by public opinion’ – Magistrate rejects Police criticism over bail in acid attack case

Magistrate Faith McGusty on Thursday took aim at the Guyana Police Force (GPF), criticising it for issuing what she described as a misleading public statement on her decision to grant bail in a high-profile acid attack case.

Speaking at the start of court proceedings, McGusty said she was “surprised” by both the tone and the content of the Police’s release, which, she argued, misrepresented what had actually taken place in her courtroom.

“I wish to indicate that it seems that the Guyana Police Force received erroneous information,” she stated. “The Force would be better served having someone appear before the court so that they could have the correct information.”

The Magistrate stressed that investigations must be carried out properly and that all information presented to the court should be carefully filtered through prosecutors to ensure accuracy.

“I saw things in that statement that were never told to me in court and yet it seems like it was trial by public opinion,” she said firmly. “I do not have trials by public opinion.”

In light of the incident, McGusty announced that all proceedings before her will now be recorded to prevent any future misrepresentation. “I am determined that each and every prosecutor, when matters are brought before the court, I will have a recording done so that no one can misinterpret what was said or what happened in court,” she declared.

The Magistrate’s comments follow sharp criticism from the Police Force over her decision to grant $500,000 bail to Keron Daniels, who is charged with dousing two women—Jilicia Leitch and Nirmala Sukraj—with corrosive fluid during an attack in Georgetown on September 3.

According to the Police, Daniels was first remanded on September 16 but was granted bail a day later, despite prosecutors strongly objecting on the grounds of a video-recorded confession and the grave medical condition of one of the victims, who has lost sight in one eye and suffered permanent facial disfigurement.

The Force also noted a history of conflict between Daniels and one of the women, and highlighted her pleas for justice from her hospital bed. It argued that such factors, along with the wider issue of violence against women in Guyana, should weigh heavily in bail considerations.

While describing the court’s ruling as a setback, the Police vowed to continue pressing for justice and to intensify efforts to combat violence against women.