…she faces two state-sponsored charges identical to the private charges
Chairperson of the People’s National Congress, Volda Lawrence, after being released on $100,000 station bail, yesterday, was required to return today. On her return, today, she was slapped with two charges and taken to court.
Attorney at Law Nigel Hughes appeared in court with Attorney Darren Wade.
“This morning the police the police filed two charges; one is conspiracy to defraud the general elections and the other is conspiracy to defraud the regional elections.
“Ms. Lawrence attended the Criminal Investigations Department at eight this morning. When she arrived there she was arrested and told there were two charges against her.”
He said that she was then brought to court and the two charges were read to her.
This is a continuation of the attack on members and supporters of the coalition who worked on Election Day. Ms. Lawrence was released on $50,000 bail on each of the two charges.
“The magistrate then enquired from Mr. Tariq Mohamed from the Director of Public Prosecutions office, if they were ready. He said no, that he had ten or more statements outstanding.
“We suggested they should take more time so that when we come back they would be ready to proceed with the matter.”
The matter has been put down to December 9. The court has ordered full disclosure. This entails the video recordings with Ms. Lawrence.
And the trend continues. Charges are prepared and laid but the prosecution remains unable to proceed with the trial. The need for more witnesses continue to be the excuse.
Mr. Hughes said that the first set of charges were private charges. These are the first set of charges being instituted by the state.
“We suspect it is not the last set of charges based on statements made by the prosecution.”
Tariq Mohamed, the prosecutor representing the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions admitted to the court that some time in the future he proposes to consolidate all the charges.
“Given the pattern that is emerging, it appears that they intend to have the leadership of a particular political party constantly running to the police station and then bringing them to court.”
Mr. Hughes said that he would wish for the prosecution and the police to be more efficient.
“When they have completed their investigation if they can consolidate all they have to allege, make one job of it so we don’t have to continue to waste your time, Ms. Lawrence’s time in coming here other than if there is some intent to have Ms. Lawrence exercise and be humiliated every time she has to attend the police station.”
He said that attorney for the people who filed the private criminal charges, Glenn Hanoman, had indicated to the court that the DPP would have taken over these charges. Mr. Hughes said that this has not happened.
“I rather suspect that what is happening here is that they want formal charges instituted by the police so that in the case of those officials who are members of GECOM there can be an attempt to have them removed from serving in their office and in the case of Ms. Lawrence who is he leader of one of the major political parties, I suspect is to have her go through the humiliation of having to run up and down the steps, both at the court and at the police station hoping that she would be intimidated by the fact that they are threatening to keep her overnight.”
But Ms. Lawrence appears to be unbroken. “I remain strong. I know I have done nothing wrong and I continue to say that because that is what it is.
“As the PPP used to say during the 24 years that we will have our say and they will have their way. That is what we are seeing today.”
She said that it has not escaped her notice that the charges brought by the police are the same charges that were filed privately.
