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‘wants Government
removed’
By
George Barclay
Magistrate
Chandra Sohan, the last witness for the Prosecution in the Mark Benschop
treason trial, revealed yesterday that the accused had admitted by inference
in his statement from the dock that he was at the scene at the Presidential
Complex on the day of the incident.
Magistrate Sohan, who conducted the Preliminary Inquiry (PI), was called by
the Prosecution to testify about an address Benschop had made before
committal. He had been asked by the Magistrate whether he had anything to
say in his defence, and was cautioned that whatever he said would be taken
down and used at his trial.
Benschop had made an address, which lasted over four hours, but the
Prosecution led by Mr. Sanjeev Datadin with Mr. Anil Nandlall, had named
certain sentences, which they wished to use. And the judge granted their
application to call the Magistrate to testify about the relative contents of
Benschop’s address.
According to the Magistrate, Benschop had said among other things,
"This country will never have peace until we have a proper political
system. All the citizens, i.e., my black brothers, will have to find a way
to rid themselves of this racist corrupt Government. We will have a proper
Chief Judge and Chancellor.
"I have done nothing wrong that day. I am innocent. I saw Presidential
Guards round up persons in the compound that day and placed them in the
Accounts Department and cold-bloodedly shot them in the presence of Dr.
Roger Luncheon.
"I was never at the PSM (People's Solidarity Movement) meeting. They
wanted me for the information I have against them," Benschop is
reported to have said.
Prior
to the granting of the application to lead the evidence, Mr. Datadin had
told the Court that the object of the Prosecution in requesting the portions
of Benschop's address was to put him (Benschop) on the scene and to assist
the Prosecution in establishing the element of the charge and the intention
to overthrow the Government.
On the other hand, the Defence, headed by Mr. Basil Williams associated with
Mr. Mortimer Coddett, Mr. Linden Amsterdam, Ms Carol Martindale-Howard and
Ms Emily Dodson, accused the Prosecution of truncating the address to suit
the Prosecution. They submitted that the entire address be admitted in
evidence so that the jury would hear and understand everything.
Justice Moore said that he would grant the application for the entire
statement to be admitted, but he reserved the right to reject things that
were “scandalous”.
Mark Benschop is charged with having formed an intention to overthrow by
force the Government of Guyana on July 3, 2002.
During the trial, the Prosecution led evidence to show that one-time
co-conspirator Phillip Bynoe had, at a meeting prior to July 3, 2002, at
which Benschop was absent, told his gathering about a planned march by him (Bynoe)
on July 3, 2002 to get rid of President Jagdeo and overthrow the Government.
When the trial resumes this morning, the Defence will begin making no-case
submissions in the absence of the jury with the object of convincing the
judge that the Prosecution had failed to make out a case of treason for the
accused to answer.
I