The charges against Simona Broomes, a former APNU+AFC government minister, and her driver, Dexter Austin stemming from a confrontation they had with a councillor attached to the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), have been dismissed.
When the duo appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday for the continuation of the case, Magistrate Dylon Bess informed them that the charges will be dismissed due to the negligence of the Court Prosecutor. He further explained that it has been eight months since the charges were read to the defendants and the file was still incomplete, hence no progress had been made in the case.
On August 17, 2020, the pair were charged and released on their own recognizance. Broomes and Austin were before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court when they were both charged for using threatening language towards and assaulting city councillor Dion Younge. They were also accused of causing terror.
Austin faced an additional charge of discharging a loaded firearm within 100 yards of a public space. Both Broomes and Austin pleaded not guilty to the charges. They were represented by attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes.
The incident occurred on August 3, 2020 during which Broomes alleged that she was threatened at her Meadow Brook Gardens home in Georgetown. Both accused were questioned by investigators and Broomes was released the same day, while Austin was released days after.
On the same date of the incident, Broomes posted a live video on her Facebook page that showed the confrontation. In the video, Broomes recounted that she was carrying out her normal morning routine when an individual, allegedly armed with a hammer, showed up at her property and removed several “no fishing” signs that she had erected. Broomes alleged that the individual who threatened her said he wanted to show who was in power and running the country, while also using expletives towards her. She alleged that she was also threatened with a gun. After removing the signs, she said, the individual got into the white car, which was parked a short distance away, and it drove off.
Broomes trailed the vehicle to Sophia, where two men exited and she followed behind. One of them was carrying the no fishing signs and a hammer. After shots were fired by another individual, believed to be the person who was driving Broomes, she confronted the men, including Younge, and repeatedly asked who sent them. During the confrontation, persons in the area gathered and the interrogation of the men continued.
This newspaper reported that at one point Younge appeared to have been slapped and blood was later visible on his shirt. Broomes later said that when she went to the police to make a report that she found out that allegations had been made against her by Younge. She added that her report was not taken and instead the allegations made against her and Austin were the priorities of the police, who informed her that when they are ready to deal with her complaints, they would contact her.
