Tragedy and farce
Marx complained that sometimes history repeats itself: first as tragedy and then as farce. The Linden tragedy is being replayed before the CoI – and what a farce it’s turning out to be. Not a “ha! Ha!” farce – but a charade and travesty that exposes the Machiavellian mindset behind the Linden tragedy.
Sharma Solomon, the wannabe-warlord of Region 10 was exposed for the manipulator he is – as far as the law and the lives of those who see him as their leader. It was another “J’Accuse” moment. It was an exercise in obfuscation and pulling teeth – but truth did come out in the end. After all, these were experienced old legal hands chosen as commissioners.
Solomon admitted he was fully aware of the terms under which the permission for the march, culminating in a meeting, was granted by the police. The time-line was from 9am to 1: 30 pm for the march. He knew it was against the law to block thoroughfares. Yet this so-called leader admitted that at 5 pm – three and a half hours after the march should have ended – he began to address a meeting on, of all places, the bridge from Wismar to Mackenzie!
Other people had testified that by this time, stoves for cooking had been lit, hammocks were slung, and camps were erected on the bridge. People had shouted: “We’re not moving until the electricity increase is removed!” Yet to Commissioner Seetahall’s question, “What were you doing holding a meeting in the middle of the bridge at 17: 00 hours in the afternoon?” this man who is named ‘Solomon’ still asserted that the people were on the bridge because they were ‘tired’!!
Solomon, after sustained prodding, admitted calling the police “hooligans” to the bridge blockers. Now this was before any teargas or pellets (into the ground) were fired by the police. The people blocking the bridge, burning buildings, commandeering logs from stranded private trucks, were not ‘hooligans’ but the police trying to maintain law and order are. Oh judgement! Thou are fled to brutish breasts! Solomon had to admit he never asked the protestors breaking the law to move off the bridge. This is the understatement of the year!
No smoking gun
In the practice of law it is an axiom that one should never ask a witness a question to which you don’t know the answer. Why? Well, if the answer isn’t what you expect, you could have your case blow up in your face. And this is what has happened not once, but twice, to Nigel Hughes, who thinks he’s such a hot-shot criminal lawyer, he ought to be a SC! First, he’d declared to everybody and their uncle he was positive that Minister of Home Affairs Rohee had called Superintendent Hicken before the Linden shootings. Clearly accusing Rohee of ordering the shooting. So Hughes subpoenaed the phone records which showed Rohee hadn’t spoken to Hicken until AFTER the shootings! Explosion one! Hughes was also certain that the police had shot the three protesters. In fact, this was the basis of his 48-hour ultimatum for the government to fire Rohee. So confident that they brought their own English ballistic expert: who now confirms that the bullets were not from a police shotgun!! Explosion two!! Fatal? You bet!!
Fomenting strife
The Stabber News lived up to its name. Noticing a variance between two bids for drugs, the rag demanded the GPC chairman explain why their bid was higher. How the heck was he to know? He doesn’t know what’s in the other bid. If it’s a fair question why not ask the other bidder, IPA? Why not wait until the Tender Board makes its decision? The Stabber just wants to foment strife.
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