The police authorities have arrested, and subsequently released five men, on suspicion of plans to overthrow the government. The men were arrested when a video surfaced on social media where the men were discussing the need to overthrow the government and unseat the Labour party. Loftus Durand, former president of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), and Basketball enthusiast Dunstan Peters were briefly detained in connection with the case.
In the video, Karshma “Buju” Richards of Newtown stated that “We have one solution as a people. We have to come together and have one discussion and one outcome: to remove Roosevelt Skerrit, the Labour administration, all their cronies out of the police station, the government and the court system.”
Eight other persons in the video voiced their supports and opinions and some of these have been identified to be Dunstan Maggie Peter, Earl “Bombs” Henderson, Seth Gussie, Davidson “Pyro” Julien, and Loftus Durand. Some of the people agreed that the government must be overthrown at all costs, with one of them educating the others that their action is legal and not contrary to the law.
The people called themselves the “Moun Serye”.
Attorney Ronald Charles is representing some of the accused, while Cara Shillingford will be representing Loftus Durand. Charles said he spoke with Superintendent Davidson Valerie concerning his clients before they were released, but Loftus Durand’s house was searched with a police warrant for a 12-gauge shotgun which was never found.
Attorney Charles accused the government of arbitrary use of power for arresting the accused on a baseless allegation, while United Workers Party’s Lennox Linton said the accused were only exercising their fundamental rights of speech. New political party APP has also called for the government to vacate any charges against the people and let them go.
The police said investigations are ongoing and those released from custody may be invited again for further interrogations.
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