FORMER Lieutenant Colonel in the Reserve, Leonard Wharton, Guyana Defence Force, Major Bruce Munroe and his wife, Carol-Ann Munroe, were yesterday further remanded to prison after they made their second court appearance on charges of treason.
When the case was called before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, Police Inspector, Fazil Karimbaksh, prosecuting, informed the court that he could not make a pronouncement on who will prosecute the case and when the preliminary inquiry will commence.
On the first occasion, the prosecutor had informed the court that a special prosecutor will be appointed to prosecute the case and a date will be set for the preliminary inquiry.
The magistrate enquired from the prosecutor why nothing was done in the case for two weeks.
In response, Karimbaksh said investigations are still ongoing and will soon be completed. He requested another date for report and fixture.
Defence Counsel Mr. Nigel Hughes expressed his disappointment with the prosecution and requested to have clear guidelines on the way forward.
Hughes made a request to have copies of the audio visual recording including transcript and any other documents that will assist the defence in preparing its case.
The lawyer said he wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions and requested same. He said the defence is entitled to have in its possession all the necessary documents and other supportive evidence in order to prepare a proper defence.
The prosecutor said he will have to seek advice from his superiors and will respond to the lawyer’s application on the next court date.
Hughes said on the first occasion he had asked the court to make special provisions for Mrs. Munroe who is schizophrenic and for her condition to be ascertained.
He said his clients are being kept in solitary confinement, which will only worsen Mrs. Munroe’s medical condition.
The magistrate then told the lawyer that she did endorse the warrant to have Mrs. Munroe’s medical condition ascertained.
The prosecutor said the prison authorities were handling the situation.
However, the magistrate ordered that the prosecutor follow up the matter and ascertain Mrs. Munroe’s condition.
The case will be called again on January 21.
As the trio entered the court yard yesterday, school children from Achievers’ Academy, along with teachers and parents, gathered at the gate with placards supporting Mrs. Munroe.


Mrs. Munroe, reportedly the first woman to be charged with treason in Guyana is the owner of the school. She waved and smiled when she saw the support from her school and blew kisses to the students.
Wharton, and Mr. and Mrs. Munroe first appeared in court on December 28, accused of having, between December 1, 2009 and December 16, 2010, plotted to level war within Guyana to force the President out of office in order to compel the Government to change its policies.
When the case was first called, Prosecutor Karimbaksh said the Police received certain information that the three accused recruited persons to create mayhem in this country to overthrow the Government.
The capital offence charge against the trio has its origin in the arson at the Ministry of Health, Brickdam; attempts at Richard Ishmael Secondary School and the Supreme Court building; and the gun attack at Brickdam Police Station, all in July 2009.
Colin Jones, called ‘Bunny’, a recently self-confessed murderer, and Kurt Thierens, alias ‘Bage’ and ‘Glasses’, whom the former admitted killing, had mysteriously escaped from Providence Police Station, East Bank Demerara, on July 27 last year, when they were being held pending a probe into terrorist attacks and murder.
Jones, however, was nabbed at Amelia’s Ward, Linden, last month.