Benschop, Witter face three charges, Lewis absent
By Telesha Persaud
PARDONED treason accused Mark Benschop and trade unionist Norris Witter appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday, facing charges of unlawful assembly, disorderly behaviour and resisting arrest.
Benschop,
37, of Lot 183 Roxanne Burnham Gardens and
Witter, 57, of Lot 35 Cauliflower Street, South
Ruimveldt, were jointly charged with Secretary
General of the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL)
Lincoln Lewis with assembling unlawfully.
Lewis
was, however, not in Court and Magistrate
Robertson informed the two present accused that
the charge would remain indictable until their
co-accused, who would have to be summoned, makes
an appearance.
It
is alleged that Benschop, Witter and Lewis,
together with other persons unknown, unlawfully
assembled on Young Street, Eve Leary, also in
Georgetown, on July 15.
Benschop
and Witter, who were separately charged with
disorderly behaviour and resisting arrest,
pleaded not guilty.
The
allegations against them said, on July 15, they
resisted Police Chief Inspector Patrick Todd, a
peace officer, acting in the execution of his
duties and, that same day, in a public way, they
behaved disorderly.
Attorney-at-law
Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, who appeared for the
trio, explained that Lewis, being a senior
officer of CCL, had to leave the country and is
presently in Barbados.
The
lawyer said Lewis had been told to report at a
Police station on Thursday and Friday and he
would be communicated with after then.
Ramjattan
said the Police are well aware that Lewis left
Guyana on Saturday to get back to his base but
gave the undertaking that the latter will be
appearing in Court on the next occasion.
Defence
Counsel said Benschop is a journalist and a
people’s activist and Witter is Acting General
Secretary of Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC).
Ramjattan
said Benschop, Witter and Lewis were peacefully
and lawfully protesting on the Young Street
parapets and reminded the Police officers that
they could picket anywhere in Guyana.
Defence
Counsel said those remarks indicated to the
officers that they were not doing their jobs
properly.
However,
Ramjattan claimed the Home Affairs Minister had
found himself in the exact predicament some 20
years ago.
Police
Inspector Denise Griffith, prosecuting, said,
while she was not objecting to bail for Benschop
and Witter, the issues raised by Ramjattan would
be dealt with at their trial in another forum.
The
Prosecutor also mentioned that no explanation
was given to her about why the virtual
complainant was not in Court.
Benschop
and Witter were released on their own
recognisances until September 1.
The three men were arrested outside Police Commissioner Henry Greene’s Eve Leary office.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
