Eleven months after APNU-AFC Member of Parliament Christopher Jones and Annette Ferguson along with eight others, were charged for the illegal procession, all of them walked free of the charge following a no-case submission by the defendant’s lawyers.
The six were charged back in May last year after it was alleged, during the ruling of the Election Petitions outside of the high court, they were all a part of an illegal protest. Separately, MP Ferguson was also charged for obstructing the duties of an officer.
They were each granted their release on $20,000 bail on the illegal possession charge, while Ferguson was placed on an additional $10,000 bail for the obstruction charge.
The matter was before Magistrate Rondell Weaver. Jones was represented by Attorney at law, Ronald Daniels. Ferguson was at the time represented by Linden Amsterdam.
In the submission to the court, Mr. Daniel said, during an interview, he submitted to the court that while the charge was an illegal procession, the fact stated that they protested, obstructed traffic, and littered, all of which should have come under various charges and not the one placed.
Mr. Daniels contended that both Jones and Annette Ferguson were never part of the procession since at the time the two were just inquiring with the police why one of the person around was arrested. There was no evidence pointed toward them being anywhere between Croal and King Streets. The only evidence was that they were on the pavement at Household Plus.
Mr. Daniels said that even when a person was in front of the court, the police did not make any attempt to arrest anyone since even in their testimony, they admitted that nothing was done illegally.
Those arguments were upheld by Magistrate Weaver and charges were later dismissed against all the defendants.
Mr. Daniels pointed out that it could only be seen as a charge that was politically motivated.
“Those charges were frivolous and vexatious. We are of the view that those charges were really politically motivated and probably should not have been brought. So, we feel vindicated and I’m certain that all of the defendants feel vindicated by the court’s ruling that those charges in effect did not have any substance.”
