Alliance For Change (AFC) District Councillor for Region 8 (Potaro/Siparuni), Naieem Mohammed Gafoor on Wednesday made his appearance before Magistrate Judy Latchman to answer a charge related to the protest in Mahdia early in August over deplorable roads.

The 48-year-old defendant of Mahdia pleaded not guilty to the charge that said on Monday, August 4 at 111 Miles Mahdia, Potaro, he held a protest without first obtaining permission in writing from the police along the Mahdia compound and the Mahdia airstrip roads.
He was represented by attorney-at-law Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, who is also the leader of the AFC party. Ramjattan told the court that his client owns a spare parts shop in Mahdia and is married with four children.
He explained that Gafoor was heading a procession for better roads for Mahdia and gave the police a notification which is in the file. However, the police were not looking for a notice but instead a permit and the defence will contest that.
Defence counsel noted that his client has no prior convictions and was only doing what he felt was constitutional.
Counsel said that Gafoor was placed on $18,000 station bail because there is no Magistrate’s Court in Mahdia, so he came to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer the charge.
Police Prosecutor Michael Grant did not oppose bail and Gafoor was released on his own recognisance. However, he will make his next court appearance before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on Monday.

(By Geeta Rampersaud)