A baffling decision
It is with interest that we read of the acquittal of Mr. Ronald Waddell for the larceny of a bucket from a service station. The whole nation saw on TV when Mr Waddell took the bucket without any permission from the owner. Worse yet, the whole nation was witness to the act of Mr. Waddell lighting a fire. Yet, astonishingly, Mr. Waddell was freed.

We are now totally perplexed by the judiciary in this country. The Waddell decision is not the only baffling one. We all remember that the infamous Mr. Mark Benschop was also freed of several charges too. By the way if Mr. Benschop is blessed with so much surplus money, then he can more usefully donate it to some charity, or help to create jobs for his Afro-Guyanese brethren, rather than trying to locate me.

We remember also Mr. Archie Poole being acquitted for attacking the vehicle of former President, Mrs. Janet Jagan in the Parliament compound, although that incident too was captured on video.

Also freed by the Court on a number of charges was Mr. C. N. Sharma, an implacable, perhaps irrational, critic of the Government, and who could be culpable for incitement to violence.

And most of those who were brought before the Courts for violations of the law during the numerous PNC/R’s violent protest marches and the GPSU’s violent strikes, were duly acquitted. It has become a norm now for Opposition activists to be freed by the Courts.

Compare this with the pre-1992 period when the PNC regime stalked the land. Then PPP/C opposition activists were arraigned and convicted for the most trivial matters. We remember the case of Arnold Rampersaud who had to endure three trials before international pressure, and the resignation of a prominent judicial official, forced the PNC to drop the charges against him.

We remember also the plight of the treason accused who were incarcerated for years without trial under the PNC. They were finally released when the PPP/C Government declined to proceed with the case against them.

The judicial record in the two periods is very startling. In one period the Courts were very quick to hand down severe sentences for even minor offences. And during the present time, the Courts proceed with alarming alacrity to free PNC/R Opposition activists.

The judicial system in this country has been infiltrated by, and is very clearly aligned to, the Opposition Party. It is evidently pro-PNC/R, while being anti-PPP/C. It is no wonder that the PNC/R keeps demanding that criminals must be brought before the Courts, knowing full-well that they will be acquitted by a judiciary sympathetic to the Opposition.
Joseph Prince.

May 29, 2002

 

Last witness testifies at Waddell larceny trial
THE last Prosecution witness testified yesterday in the larceny case involving contentious television talk show host Ronald Waddell.

Waddell is accused, before Acting Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen, of stealing a bucket worth $350 from the GUYOIL Regent Street, Georgetown service station during disturbances in the city last April 9.

Giving evidence yesterday was GUYOIL Marketing Manager Alwyn Appiah, of Lot 269 Republic Park, East Bank Demerara.

He said his responsibility covers retail sales at the Regent Street outlet, the equipment there and all marketing activities.

Appiah said the bucket allegedly stolen was the property of GUYOIL, placed next to a dispensing pump at the Regent Street location and used by attendants to also store water.

But he did not see it again after April 9, 2001.

Cross-examination of the witness was deferred until the resumption on April 3.

Those who previously gave testimony in the case are Roy Mendonza, the senior person in charge of the station, cashier Corey Obermuller and security guard Amarnauth Bharrat