Plead guilty to espionage

Nafeesa Mohammed, the attorney representing the interests of the men’s families yesterday told Newsday she was unaware of any call for them to plead guilty to spying.

However, Gloria Charles who is the mother of Wade Charles — one of the detained five — told Newsday the men who are due to appear in court on August 17, were being advised by the Venezuelan authorities to plead guilty to the charge of espionage for which they will be sentenced to three years imprisonment.

At next week’s court session, she said, the judge is expected to wrap up proceedings.

Her son, Charles said, has told her the authorities have told them that if they plead guilty they will be given the three year sentence. As they have already been locked up for almost two and half years, she said, they were told they would only have a half year more to serve in jail after which they will be deported.

Charles, who recently visited her son in Caracas, said it would appear that the authorities want the men to plead guilty because they have no evidence against them yet do not want the legal system to look “bad”.

Asked if the men will plead guilty next week when they come up before the judge, Charles said, “I told my son not to plead guilty.

“It will be unfair for them to plead guilty for something they did not do just because they want to come home.” However, she said, “They are in a spot now.

They are desperate to come home, and are willing to do anything to be set free.

They are tired, sick, and most of the time hungry.” Saadiqua Mohammed, wife of Dominic Petilall — the father of three sons, told Newsday that the men should not plead guilty for something they did not commit.

The men, who were detained since March 19, 2014, have already been in detention for almost two and a half years.