Social activist Mark Benschop was yesterday charged with obstructing and resisting a police officer, stemming from his conduct at a protest staged on Brickdam in wake of the killing of schoolboy Kelvin Fraser.
Benschop, of 313 East Street, was granted $15,000 bail by acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson, after he pleaded not guilty. It is alleged that on June 10 at Brickdam, he wilfully obstructed acting Inspector Winston Watts in the execution of his duty. Further, on the same day, he resisted Watts in the execution of his duty.
Attorney Robert Corbin represented Benschop and said that he was surprised at the institution of the charges. Further, he said it appeared that the police were obstructing citizens from practising their rights as enshrined in the Constitution. Corbin added that Benschop was fully prepared to defend himself against the charges. He applied for bail, saying that Benschop was not a flight risk and would attend court in the matters against him. Corbin asked for Benschop to be granted self bail.
Watts told the court that on the day in question he was on duty at Brickdam where there was a protest in progress.
He said that when he attempted to arrest the truck driver who was charged with transporting a number of students in his vehicle, he was prevented from doing so. He said that he was prevented from taking the man into custody as such he had to arrest Benschop. He admitted that he did not know that the driver was already charged when he asked him to return to the station.
Corbin said that there were a number of persons present who were trying to figure out what had happened and cannot understand why only one person was charged. He added that when the truck driver was rearrested, this incensed the crowd since he was already placed on station bail.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Stephen Telford asked for Benschop to be granted cash bail since this was not the first offence of a similar nature for him. In response, Corbin said that the granting of bail had nothing to do with how many times someone was before the court; rather, it is to ensure their attendance. He gave all assurances that his client would return to defend and clear his name.
Benschop was then granted $15,000 bail on the obstruction charge and placed on self-bail on the resisting police officer charge. The matter next comes up on July 30 in Court 2.
Before Magistrate Chandra Sohan in Court Seven, Benschop was also read three traffic charges relating to his transport of schoolchildren to the protest on Brickdam.
The charges read to him were pedestrian causing obstruction, transporting persons in tray without written authority from the prescribed authority and being in breach of insurance.
Sohan granted Benschop self-bail, following representation by Corbin. The matter is due for hearing on August 18.
Following his arrest on Thursday, Benschop was released from police custody on $100,000 station bail.
