10 Lindeners charged for protest ruckus

–missile throwing, possession of offensive weapon among charges

By Vahnu Manikchand

Ten Lindeners appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton on Tuesday, facing charges of throwing missiles, possession of a component of an ammunition and offensive weapon, indecent language and assaulting a peace officer. All 10 Lindeners pleaded not guilty to their respective charge (s) when they were read to them at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. These charges stemmed from the ongoing unrests in Linden over the past weekend.

Kareen Ashby, 22, a mason of Lot 1998 Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden; 29-year-old Ivan Webster, also mason of Lot 1579 Central Amelia’s Ward; Jamal Somerset, 18, of Lot 47 Wisroc Housing Scheme, Linden, and 43-year-old Delson Lampkin, a machine operator of Lot 1919 Amelia’s Ward, were all jointly charged for throwing missile to the annoyance of Inspector Andrew Cumberbatch and other ranks on August 10 at McKenzie Bridge, Wismar, Linden.
Then 23-year-old Ulric Lowenfield a LTI student of Lot 49 North Blueberry Hill, Linden, and Glenroy Chapman, 34, a pork knocker of Lot 130 Half Mile, Wismar, answered to a joint charge, which alleged that on August 12 at Wisroc Junction, Wismar, they threw missile to the annoyance of Constable Kleon Jurris and other ranks.
Chapman was slapped with two other charges. Police say on August 12 at Wismar, he was in possession of a component of a 12 gauge cartridge shell without a license. The other charge against the man stated that he assaulted a peace officer, Constable Kleon Jurris, who was acting in execution of his duties.
Garfield Jones, 44, a miner of Lot 13 Silvertown, Wismar, and 35-year-old Dexter Benjamin a mason of Lot 159 Half Mile Wismar, were also jointly charged for throwing missile to the annoyance of Inspector Andrew Cumberbatch and other ranks on August 10 at McKenzie Bridge, Wismar. Then Ricky Frederick, 28, of Kwakwani answered to the charge which stated that on August 12 at One Mile Public Road, Linden, he used indecent language.
Finally, 19-year-old Ron Bovell, a labourer of Lot 1042 Cinderella City, Amelia’s Ward, answered to the offensive weapon charge, which stated that on August 12 at One Mile Public Road, without lawful authority or reasonable cause, he was in possession of an ice pick.
Attorneys Basil Williams and James Bond represented all 10 of the defendants in court and requested nominal bail for all of the men, stating that the economy in Linden is depressed.
For the case of Chapman, Williams told the court that the police were all over Wismar, shooting cartridges, firing teargas and in other instances, live ammunition, hence there were cartridges all over on the ground. The attorney said that Chapman was sitting on the road when the police came and arrested him, claiming that he was in possession of the shell but the man had no knowledge of it.
Inspector Burgett Grant, prosecuting, objected to bail being granted to Chapman, stating that the nature of the offence does not permit bail unless there are special reasons. She further noted that on contrary to Williams’ statements regarding Chapman, the police conducted a search on defendant and found a cartridge in his left side front pants pocket.
The prosecutor also objected to bail on the joint charge for Chapman and Lowenfield, stating that with the situation in Linden, this kind of offence is prevalent and if granted bail it is likely there will be reoccurrences. However, this objection was overruled by the magistrate. For the other defendants the prosecutor had no objections to bail.
Magistrate Hamilton granted bail in the sum of Gy$ 7500 to the following defendants: Ashby, Webster, Somerset, Lampkin, Lowenfield, Chapman, Jones and Benjamin on the charges of throwing missile.
Meanwhile, Fredericks was granted Gy$ 5000 bail for the indecent language charge and Gy$ 7000 bail was granted to Bovell for the charge of possession offensive weapon.
Chapman, on the other hand, was placed on Gy$ 10,000 additional bail for assaulting a peace officer and he was also refused bail for being in possession of a component of a 12 gauge cartridge shell without a license. The 10 men will make their next appearance in Court One on September 17.