A 56-year-old resident of St. Michael, Barbados, is facing criminal charges after an alleged altercation with the island nation’s top health official, according to local law enforcement. Michael Alphonsa Harris, who lives at Seales Avenue in the Goodland neighborhood of St. Michael, was taken into custody and formally charged by investigators from the Criminal Investigations Department based at Black Rock, the Barbados Police Service (TBPS) confirmed in an official statement.
The two counts brought against Harris include one charge of assault against Minister of Health Senator Lisa Cummins, and a second count of using threatening language against the cabinet member. The alleged incident that led to these charges took place on September 5, though TBPS has not released additional details about the context or circumstances of the encounter out of respect for the ongoing legal process.
Following his processing, Harris has been scheduled to make his first court appearance before the District ‘A’ Criminal Court this coming Monday, where the case will formally enter the judicial system. As of the latest police update, no additional information about bail conditions or potential witnesses has been released to the public.