-crowd gathers amid search pandemonium
Pandemonium reigned yesterday afternoon when officials from the National Frequency Management Unit(NFMU) swooped on the south Georgetown residence of Mark Benschop seizing what they said was an illegal wireless transmitter shortly after he was arrested for obstructing the police.
In a terse statement last evening, the NFMU said “This evening the National Frequency Management Unit acting pursuant to the provisions of the Post and Telegraph Act, seized a wireless telegraphy apparatus (FM Radio transmitter) that was being operated in contravention of the Law.
“This transmitter was being operated from a premises located in the Roxanne Burnham Gardens area.”
When Stabroek News arrived at the Lot 181, Cane View Avenue home of Benschop shortly after 4 pm yesterday a team of police officers and two officials attached to the NFMU were awaiting directions to carry out a search of the premises. The two NFMU officials, when approached by the media, offered no comment only stating that they were awaiting the arrival of their superiors. Benschop’s lawyer, Nigel Hughes arrived on the scene but the NFMU officials also offered no comment and could not explain their presence at the location when questioned by the attorney. The police officials at the scene, who were led by Commander of B Division of the GPF, David Ramnarine, did not provide an answer to the attorney at that time either.
Benschop then arrived on the scene, close to 5:30 pm and soon after, Managing Director of the NFMU, Valmikki Singh turned up at the location, serving a warrant on Benschop to search his premises. After reading the warrant which was served on his client, Hughes declared that the document was not legitimate, noting that it did not contain Benschop’s name nor a lot number. Singh however, proceeded with his intention to search the premises as Benschop planted himself in front of the gate leading to the premises.
By this time a huge crowd, which was observing yesterday’s proceedings from the inception, moved towards the scene as darkness stepped in and more police ranks arrived to provide back-up to their colleagues on the scene. Benschop then entered the yard and stood behind the gate, preventing Singh from proceeding with his search and stating that the warrant was “illegal with no name nor address”. Singh however maintained that the document he had in his possession “clearly identifies the property”. Ramnarine by this time was becoming upset with his ranks who stood around, even as Singh called for their assistance.
At around a quarter to 6, Singh succeeded in gaining entry to the premises even as Benschop held out that his (Singh’s) presence in his yard was unlawful. The now tense crowd began chanting various remarks at Singh and the police, and moved towards the scene, some persons calling on the NFMU and the police to “leave Benschop alone”. All the time, Singh with a black travelling bag in his hand, attempted to gain entry to the house via a side door with an angry Benschop standing in his way.
A power outage then added more drama to the scene and the police officers then proceeded to arrest Benschop for obstructing the search operation, infuriating the man’s supporters. As confusion reigned the police were undecided on whether to allow Benschop to re-enter his yard to accompany Singh on the search and after some wrangling, he was taken to a police van. Police officers then proceeded to remove some of the man’s supporters from the scene, as several ranks argued with a few members of the media who were taking pictures on the fence bordering the property in question. The police officers briefly detained two cameramen who were placed in a police van next to Benschop. The two were released after discussions between Ramnarine and several other police officers and their colleagues.
Singh then proceeded to enter the house, accompanied by his NFMU staff as the crowd and the media waited outside patiently for him to complete his search. Soon after, Commander of ‘A’ Division of the GPF, Leroy Brummell, arrived on the scene. Some 20 minutes later, Singh emerged from the house with a piece of equipment in his hand which he described as a wireless transmission unit and he soon left the scene with a boisterous crowd in his wake. When questioned about the equipment Singh had in his possession, Benschop said that he had no knowledge of same, stating he did not know “what the NFMU sees as illegal”. He was later taken away by the police to the new Diamond Police station where he remained up to press time last night.
After the search was carried out, Hughes told the media that the entire episode was illegal, noting that the absence of Benchop’s name and his address as well as other inconsistencies in the search document supported his opinion. “They go into the premises with a black bag, in a blackout, with no one accompanying them, I don’t know what Singh emerged with from the premises”, he said.
Persons at the scene felt that yesterday’s raid was in retaliation for Benschop’s views aired on his internet radio as well as an audio tape he had broadcast on his internet radio station several weeks ago on the Guyana Observer News website which contained a conversation allegedly involving Information Liaison to the President Kwame McKoy.
