WPC: I felt a blow and saw blood

MTS SECURITY officer Cheron Devenish yesterday told the court that accused Clinton Gangasingh pulled a knife from his back pocket and stabbed WPC Suzanna Campbell just minutes after she asked him to leave the Tunapuna Post Office due to his conduct. This statement formed part of Devenish’s testimony in the matter in which Gangasingh is before High Court Judge Joan Charles in the Port-of-Spain Sixth Criminal Court charged with wounding WPC Campbell with intent to do her grievous bodily harm on July 2, 2001 at the Tunapuna Post Office. In her testimony yesterday, Devenish explained that around 9 am on July 2, 2001 Gangasingh entered the post office and asked for his cheque. He was told it was not ready yet since the mail was still being sorted.

Gangasingh left and returned at around 2.30 pm and was told that the postman had left to deliver the mail and that he should go home to collect his cheque. Gangasingh began pounding the counter and cursing and Devenish told him to behave but he continued to pound the counter and curse. She told him if he could not behave, he would have to leave, to which he responded that he “would have a problem doing that.” She explained that Campbell, who was in the post office at the time, approached Gangasingh and asked if the officer had not spoken to him. He sat down on a chair and continued cursing. Campbell identified herself as a police officer, tapped him on his shoulder and asked him to leave. At this point, Gangasingh pulled a knife from his front right pocket and stabbed Campbell.

Devenish said she started to scream, “Oh God he stab she, he stab she,” and some of the other workers came to Campbell’s assistance. She was taken to the back of the counter and given a napkin, which she placed against the wound she had received. Under cross-examination, Devenish told the court there were about four other people in the post office at the time. She also explained that she was not a precepted officer at the time but her supervisor, who was also at the compound, had a gun. In her testimony, WPC Campbell told the court that she was stationed at the Tunapuna Magistrates’ Court, which is situated in the same building with the post office. She said she went to the post office to purchase stamps and saw the situation between the officer and Gangasingh and intervened. She said she asked Gangasingh to leave and as she turned slightly towards the door, she felt a blow to her abdomen.

When she looked down she saw a knife in Gangasingh’s hand and observed that her top was torn in the area she felt the blow. She was given a napkin, which she placed on the spot and when she removed it she saw blood on it. Cpl Ashby, PCs Hamilton and Hospedales arrived at the post office and took her to the Mt Hope Hospital, where she was examined and informed that she had to undergo surgery. She also told the court that she was warded for five days. Under cross-examination, she told the court that she was dressed in civilian clothes at the time of the incident and that she had only observed one other person at the post office at the time. Also testifying was MTS acting Cpl Veron Gobin who was attached to the Tunapuna Administration Building in a supervisory position. He said that around 2.30 pm he was standing downstairs the complex when he heard a scream from the post office. He rushed across and saw Gangasingh trying to leave. He stopped him and took him back into the building where he spoke to Devenish. He then read Gangasingh his rights, searched him and found a blood-stained knife in his back pocket. He then handed over the knife and Gangasingh to Cpl Ashby. The matter will continue today.