Man in court for FB post on PM’s family

Mohammed of Libertville in Rio Claro, appeared before Magistrate Ava Vandenburg-Bailey in the Second Court who read out a charge that on June 30, at Belle View Industrial Estate in South Oropouche, Mohammed sent a grossly offensive message via telephone.

Mohammed, a driver who celebrates his 25th birthday today, pleaded not guilty to the charge laid by Cpl Badree of Fraud Squad (South). Investigations were led by Snr Supt Totaram Dookie and including ASP Ghisyawan and Legal officer Cpl Bassarath.

Court prosecutor Sgt Starr Jacob told the magistrate that the prosecution cited five witnesses, among them Mohammed’s mother who attended the court hearing yesterday and who is the owner of the cellular phone from which the offensive message was allegedly sent.

The prosecutor requested that Mohammed’s initial bail, which was granted at the San Fernando Police Station, be regularised.

He was granted $500 own bail on Tuesday night but the magistrate changed the amount yesterday to $15,000 with the accused man’s father as the surety.

Attorney Hasine Shaikh, who represented Mohammed, told the court her client lives with his parents in Rio Claro. The attorney added that due to the allegations, Mohammed lost his job. She acknowledged that she received ten items of disclosure from the prosecutor who noted that a newspaper article remains outstanding.

After Magistrate Vandernburg- Bailey granted bail, she adjourned the matter to August 2. On Tuesday night, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions instructed members of the Fraud Squad to lay a charge in relation to a post on social media which stated, “Someone should find Rowley daughter and wife and slit their throats n rape them.” In a subsequent facebook post, an apology for the comment was made.

The maximum fine for the charge is $200 or a term of imprisonment of one month.

Speaking to media following the hearing yesterday attorney Shaikh said the alleged incident was a situation in which a person rose up against what is happening in the country and is now being penalized for this.

“At the end of the day there are a number of persons on social media and on television and radio programmes who have lots of things to say and the reality is, it’s a lot of emotion. I think we have been distracted,” the attorney said.

“So, unfortunately Mr Mohammed may have found himself in a little bit of a sticky situation based on the content of what was said. But, at the end of the day, it was an emotional response and I think he has issued his own apology on that issue,” the attorney said.