Alfred De Jonge, 40, who has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of his ex-partner, was on Wednesday granted bail in the amount of $1 million.
De Jonge also known as “Nat a bai,” of Lot 7-17 Charlotte Street, New Amsterdam, appeared before Magistrate Michelle Mathias at the Reliance Magistrates’ Court.
The court heard that on Friday, June 20, 2025, at approximately 1:50 hours, on Number 7 Public Road, East Coast Berbice, Alfred unlawfully caused the death of 22-year-old Althea ‘Stacy’ Walton.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) had reported that Walton was driving a motorcar with registration number PAG 2279, which was owned by Alfred.
According to the Police Force, she was wearing her seatbelt when she lost control of the vehicle, which ended up in a trench on the southern side of the road. The partially submerged vehicle was discovered by concerned citizens who assisted in rescuing her.
Walton was found unconscious and transported to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead upon arrival. A post-mortem examination conducted on June 22 revealed that she died from asphyxia and drowning. Following the autopsy, her family raised concerns and suspected foul play.
De Jonge was arrested for questioning and was subsequently charged with manslaughter. Attorney Chandra Sohan, who represented De Jonge, applied for bail and argued that his client was not a flight risk.
However, Police Prosecutor Sergeant Mark Edwards objected to the bail application, stating that the case file was incomplete. During questioning, the accused reportedly claimed he had been in another vehicle nearby when he noticed the 22-year-old woman’s car in the trench.
He, however, later admitted to being in the same vehicle as her. Edwards further disclosed that De Jonge confessed to transporting narcotics in the vehicle, which also ended up in the trench. He allegedly removed the narcotics from the car, left the scene, and later returned to assist the woman.
The prosecutor also claimed that De Jonge had argued with Walton and, during the altercation, held the steering wheel, which caused the vehicle to crash. He further alleged that De Jonge pressed her down into the water before retrieving the drugs.
The prosecution referenced prior allegations against De Jonge, including a separate case involving an attempted murder of another woman several years ago.
Citing Section 7:1A (3i) of the Bail Act, Edwards argued that there were substantial grounds to believe De Jonge might interfere with witnesses, tamper with evidence, or obstruct the course of justice.
He also noted that several individuals still needed to be questioned in connection with the woman’s death and that granting bail could jeopardise the ongoing investigation.
After hearing from both sides, Magistrate Mathias granted bail in the sum of $1 million, noting that Walton was the driver of the vehicle. De Jonge was ordered to surrender his passport and to report to the Central Police Station every Friday.
His next court appearance is scheduled for July 21, and the matter has been transferred to the New Amsterdam Magistrates’ Court.
