A blind 55-year-old man was yesterday refused bail after he was charged with attempting to incite political activist Mark Benschop to procure murder.
Lochan (only name given), of 4 Greenwich Park, East Bank Essequibo was not required to plead to the indictable offence when it was read to him by Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court .
According to the prosecution facts, Lochan went to the East Street office of Benschop on May 10, where he told Benschop that he wanted him to hire two men to kill two men by the name of Kumar and Dave who had done him bodily harm some time last year.
He then told Benschop that he was willing to pay the men $100,000 each to do the job. The matter was reported to the police and a sting operation was subsequently set up after which the defendant was arrested.
Attorney Dexter Todd in his bail application said that the defendant has six children and has no pending matter in court or prior conviction. He also said that the defendant is visually impaired and poses no flight risk if bail is granted.
The prosecution at this point objected stating that if the defendant is granted bail he might get someone else to do the job. The prosecution also said that investigations are ongoing and the file has to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.
Lochan was remanded to prison until June 7.
