Chester Cottage man chopped in cutlass attack

A farmer of Byera who was the victim of a cutlass attack has been left without the use of his hands.

In an interview with SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday, one day after he was released from hospital, Mattan Burke said he was chopped early Saturday morning by a man he knows well.

Burke said the attacker and other friends were at the roadside of a shop, drinking and having a good time, when the attacker became agitated because he (Burke) and others were dancing with a woman there. He said the man then left the area.

Burke said at about 3 on Saturday morning, he left the liming spot to purchase some fried chicken when the man jumped out of nowhere and came at him with a cutlass.

“So come like me hold on pon de cutlass, [the man] pull de cutlass and buss way me hand, so come like me haffu leggo,” Burke told SEARCHLIGHT.

He said his attacker then swung the cutlass at him, giving him a small chop on his left hand, at which point he said: “Wait ah come yo really come to chop me?”

According to Burke, the man swung the cutlass a second time, chopping Burke on his left hand once more.

The farmer said in an attempt to defend himself, he punched the man in the face with his right hand, which caused his hand to break. When his attacker saw he was unable to move his hand he proceeded to chop the left hand causing Burke to fall on his back. After firing the last chop on Burke’s hand, the attacker fled the scene.

Burke said he then got up and headed for home bleeding. He managed to reach in front his door and passed out.

“Come like me freak out nuh, cause me lose plenty blood, so me wife run come and call ah pardner to carry me Georgetown.”

According to Burke, when they arrived at the Georgetown hospital, he didn’t see the nurse, so his friend drove him to Kingstown where he spent the next four days.

The father of two young boys said he is unable to use his hands so friends are helping him to care for his animals.

Up to press time, no arrest had been made.(CJ)