‘Abused’ woman refuses to testify against boyfriend

A woman who earlier this month complained to the media about the alleged abuse of her boyfriend, now says she made a mistake.

Yesterday, as she stood in the dock of the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court with tears streaming down her face, Jesjil Letteen told the court she no longer wanted to proceed with the domestic abuse case she had brought against Andel Muckett.

“It was my mistake,” she cried.

An emotional Letteen told the court that she never told the media that she had been abused for most of her life. She said when she was on the streets, it was Muckett who had taken her in.

A surprised magistrate Rickie Burnett reminded Letteen that she had gone to the media with her matter and it had gone viral.

Letteen, in response, said she had made a mistake and it was a friend who had called the media.

In the SEARCHLIGHT edition of September 8, 2017, 33-year-old Letteen complained that she had been beaten about her body with a cutlass on September 5 at Diamond by her boyfriend of seven years. During the alleged attack, she was wounded and had to have a cut at the back of her head stitched up.

The mother of two told SEARCHLIGHT back then that the attack on September 5 was not the first and with tears in her eyes, said all she wanted was a safe place to live.

She told our reporter she had been denied a secondary education at the Girls’ High School and that she stays in her abusive relationship because it allows her a roof over her head and a place to call home. She called on the Government to assist her.

In that interview, Letteen said she had had enough of her abusive relationship and that she had given her statement to the police. She also revealed that she feared what her boyfriend would do to her when he is released from prison.

Yesterday, magistrate Burnett asked prosecutor Delroy Tittle to remind Letteen about the report she had made to the police. The charges and medical report before the court stated that she had sustained lacerations to

the head and was beaten with a cutlass by Muckett.

She also told the court that she had received 43 stitches to her hand about four years ago, but that was her mistake.

Prosecutor Tittle told the court he will refrain from saying what he wants to say. He, however, offered that he had been looking at a movie about domestic abuse and stated: “They always come back.”

The charges against Muckett were dropped, and he and Letteen exited the court side by side.

Yesterday, being September 25, was Orange Day, a day designated by the United Nations to raise awareness and take action to end violence against women and girls.(CJ)