Charges of damaging state property, threatening beha-viour and trespass have been dismissed against head of the People’s National Congress Reform, Region Nine-chapter, Carl Parker, and party member, Godfrey Williams.
This is according to a release from their attorney Darren Wade who said that the former two charges were dismissed at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court some weeks ago; while the trespassing charge was dismissed yesterday.
According to Wade, the court found the State unable to provide evidence that the Region Nine property in question—a building which once housed the region’s head office —belonged to it.
Wade said that what the Court found, instead, was that, it was “the PNCR (People’s National Con-gress Reform), the political party to which my clients are affiliated (that) occupied the property.”
Consequently, he said that the charge of trespass against Williams was dismissed, “as no proof was presented to support unauthorised entry,” hence, the State failed to establish a case.
Wade said the Court underscored that during cross-examination, a police witness acknowledged knowing the property’s occupant to be the PNCR.
The lawyer said that more importantly, Inspec-tor Alfred confirmed that he had sought permission from him, Wade, and General Secretary of the PNCR—Dawn Hastings-Williams— before entering the compound in April 2023.
“This revelation, among others, further bolstered the case for dismissing the charges,” Wade said.
He had called the charges levelled against his clients as being politically motived by the PPP/C government.
The duo had appeared before Magistrate Allan Wilson at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court
Background
Parker, 59, unemployed, of the Lethem Agriculture Zone, Hiowa Creek, Central Rupununi, and Williams, called ‘Cut-Mouth’, 55, a miner of Tabatinga Village, Lethem, were jointly charged with malicious damage to property committed on a government building.
Meanwhile, Parker was slapped with a second charge for threatening behaviour and malicious damage to property committed on Dale Kennedy on March 4th.
The building which once housed the region’s head office became the centre of controversy after a contractor who was awarded a contract to carry out remedial work by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), had his workers begin to dismantle the building during the wee hours of March 2nd.
The PNCR for decades occupied the building but the RDC has claimed ownership of it.
The party had strongly maintained that the premises belonged to it and that no document was provided to state otherwise.
Hastings-Williams had said the party “has been in possession of the property” for approximately 50 years now, “and its rights to ownership and possession have never been disputed.”
However, Regional Executive Officer of Region Nine, Karl Singh, had told Stabroek News that the property was in the inventory of the RDC. He said the process to have the property vacated started over one year ago.
According to the REO, in addition to dispatching notices to the leadership as well as the local arm of the PNCR in Lethem, he also personally visited the location to meet them and discuss the issue.
Singh had said a contract was awarded for remedial work to be carried out on the building’s roof and windows to make way for a health centre. He said that the agenda of the region and government was to ensure that “we have healthy people” and as such proper facilities must be developed.
According to the PNCR, the operation was carried out by hired Venezuelan nationals under the supervision of ranks attached to the Guyana Police Force.
Hastings-Williams had said that items belonging to the party were seized during the “unlawful operation.” They included Claims and Objections reports that should have been submitted to the Guy-ana Elections Commission, along with 11 barrels of clothing for distribution and electronic equipment.
When asked about this, Singh had told this newspaper that to his knowledge the items which were in the building were “secured” by the contractor and the party was informed that they could be uplifted.
Hastings-Williams had added, “This action is consistent with the pattern of disrespect for the Rule of Law and democracy that has been displayed by the Irfaan Ali-led regime.”
She charged that the action was “dangerously provocative” and it was clear the government’s aim was for “total dominance and control.
