Political and social activist Mark Benschop was released on $25 000 bail at around mid-night on Saturday from the Brickdam Police station.
Benschop had been detained earlier on Saturday after Office of the President Press Officer Kwame McCoy had claimed that Benschop and some others broke a window at his Diamond, East Bank Demerara home. Benschop has said that he was attacked outside McCoy’s home where he had gone to take pictures.
Yesterday, Benschop emphasized that despite the efforts of one of his attorneys to gain access to him, this basic human right was denied. He said that it was not until mid-night that a senior officer informed him that he was being placed on bail.
Benschop said that he initially refused the offer but after urging from others, he posted the bail and was released.
He said that he was ordered to return to the Brickdam police station at 9am today.
On Saturday, prior to his detention, Benschop called this newspaper to report that he was being victimized when he was “the victim”. Benschop decried the justice system in the country saying that his report of damage to his vehicle and items being carted off were not treated with any urgency by the authorities in addition to his statement that McCoy pulled a gun on him. The fracas between McCoy and Benschop erupted after persons in the Diamond area telephoned McCoy just after 9am on Saturday to say that Benschop was at his home with a group of men. Benschop insists that he was only there taking photos to show how “money is being spent on mansions for people like McCoy”. McCoy claims that Benschop and at least three other men turned up at his home and illegally entered the premises.
Yesterday’s edition had incorrectly reported that Christopher Ram was Benschop’s attorney. Ram had however gone to the station to see Benschop and was not allowed.
