Deputy Mayor of New Amsterdam Wainwright McIntosh, former magistrate Charlyn Artiga and attorneys Chandra Sohan and Ramesh Rajkumar were among six persons who were charged yesterday with breaching the COVID-19 restrictions on social activity in Berbice.
McIntosh, Artiga, Sohan, Rajkumar and contractors Kris Jagdeo and Rafeek Kassim appeared before Magistrate Peter Hugh at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court.
It was alleged that on Wednesday, July 29th, at Number Two Village, East Canje, Berbice, Kassim hosted a private party, while the others were charged with attending the party.
Stabroek News was told that all of the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and were released on self-bail.
They are all expected to return to court on August 20th.
Attorney Horatio Edmonson, who represented those charged, said he was told that his clients were present to discuss an up-coming distribution exercise on behalf of the Rotary Club of New Amster-dam, of which some of those charged are members and past presidents.
This is the third time that police in Berbice have filed charges against persons for breaching the restrictions with inaccurate dates.
According to information gathered, the police on the various patrols would show up at locations and often times leave without placing anyone under arrest.
A police source told Stabroek News that charges are often filed days after based on instructions from senior persons within the division. “And sometimes that’s why they only end up charging who they remember were at the scene and sometimes some people get sent away with a warning”, the source noted.
Social gatherings are restricted under the emergency measures that have been put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.
