LUCEA, Hanover — A man accused of stabbing Hanover businessman Lee Chin has been charged with unlawful wounding. Described as mentally unstable, the alleged attacker is booked to appear in the Hanover Parish Court on May 24.

Chin was allegedly stabbed after the man attempted to shoplift items from Chin’s establishment, Cherie’s Supermarket in the town of Lucea last week Monday. It is the largest supermarket in the town.

Head of the Hanover Police Division, Superintendent Sharon Beeput provided an update during Thursday’s sitting of the Hanover Municipal Corporation’s monthly general meeting. She said the accused reportedly went into the supermarket, took items from the shelf, and was exiting without paying when he was confronted by the supermarket’s security guard.

It is said that Chin intervened and the accused man used a pair of scissors to stab him in his abdomen.

During the incident, the accused received bruises.

Both men were taken to the Noel Holmes Hospital for treatment.

Following Beeput’s report, Mayor of Lucea Sheridan Samuels urged local health officials to address the worrying issue of mentally challenged people roaming the streets of the town.

The parish’s medical officer of health Dr Kaushal Singh assured that the Hanover Health Department will be making a push to improve mental health services for the 2022/2023 period.

Dr Singh stressed that, while there are some 16 doctors in the parish who are able to do 16 screenings at a time, mental health needs to be addressed in conjunction with other issues which can have an impact, such as the socio-economic landscape, anxiety, and depression.

The health department can only assist with keeping the condition under control, he added.

The senior health officer urged individuals who feel that something is not right with them or their family members to seek medical assistance.