McKeeva Bush charged with common assault

(CMC): The police have charged former Cayman premier and current house speaker, McKeeva Bush, with four offences, including common assault, arising out of an incident at a bar in February.

Bush, who appeared in court on Friday, had taken a leave of absence from his duties as speaker when the allegations surfaced. 

In a statement on Friday, the police, while not naming Bush, referred to him as a public figure and stated that a 65-year-old West Bay man was charged with three counts of common assault and one count of disorderly conduct under the Liquor Licence Law.

“The RCIPS (Royal Cayman Islands Police Service) conducted an investigation and the completed case file was submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for a legal ruling, where a decision was made for charges to be laid,” the statement said.

Following the alleged incident at a bar on February 21, Bush issued a statement, saying at the time of the incident he was disoriented and did not remember what had happened, but he believed he must have felt that he was in danger.

He said he went to the bar to collect food and was told that he had passed out and fallen.

He said he was told that when he was being helped to his feet, he reacted violently to the persons assisting him. 

“I had no intention of doing so. I did not know where I was or what had happened or who was assisting me to get back to my feet. I was confused and disorientated, a similar feeling to that which I experienced when coming out of [anaesthesia] from my previous operations. I can only assume that I must have believed that I was in danger.”

Bush said on the night of the incident he was dealing with grief due to the recent anniversary of the loss of his daughter, who died at the end of January in 2011, in addition to a number of work-related issues.

He said he would seek professional help for his issues and would stop consuming alcohol.

The house speaker is scheduled to reappear in court on May 15.

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