-Magistrate sets January 26 for PI start
… after lengthy defence protestation
THE three treason accused, former Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve, Leonard Wharton, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Major Bruce
Munroe and his wife, Carol-Ann Munroe were yesterday further remanded to prison, because the prosecution was unable to proceed.
When the case was called, before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, Police Inspector Fazil Karimbaksh, said the
state is requesting one more month to begin the preliminary inquiry (PI). He said the state will appoint a special prosecutor on February 21.
Karimbaksh also reported that Mrs. Munroe was examined by a medical doctor to ascertain her condition but was not in
possession of the certificate that was issued.
The prosecutor said he was not in a position to say whether the evidence against the accused will be made available for the
defence but the special prosecutor, when appointed, will address that issue.
On the previous court date, the magistrate had demanded that the special prosecutor be present, so a date could be set to start
the PI.
Defence counsel Nigel Hughes, who had made an application for the evidence disclosure, expressed his disappointment, declaring
he cannot believe that, on the third occasion, the state has not retained a prosecutor.
The lawyer said he is most disturbed that Karimbaksh claimed the woman accused was medically examined because she was only
interviewed by a doctor and her medication was changed without any actual examination.
Sleeping pill

Hughes claimed that a stronger sleeping pill is being administered to Mrs. Munroe, putting her in a semi coma status.
“My client related, to me, that they are administering a stronger sleeping pill to her while she remains in solitary
confinement. It is clear that this is cruel, because this can cause serious health risk to my client. I am disturbed and alarmed that
the prosecution, up to now, cannot tell us what is happening,” he said.
Hughes charged that Karimbaksh did not have the courtesy to even attempt to respond to the request for the evidence against the
trio to be disclosed to the defence.
He, again, deemed the case political and added: “I consider this an abuse of the court, despite the court ordering the
prosecution to respond to my submission. It is either that they disclose the evidence to us or not. I believe this is a political
trial and an excuse to, deliberately, frustrate my clients. I’m surprised that the prosecutor cannot respond to a basic legal
submission.”
Hughes lamented his suspicion that there is an invisible hand keeping the accused in confinement for political purposes and the
prosecutor is just a messenger.
After the lengthy protestation by the defence counsel, the magistrate, too, said she is disappointed with the prosecution.
Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry advised Hughes to make legal submissions, on which she would rule, on the next occasion.

Medical certificate
Hughes suggested a date to have the medical certificate of the female accused presented, as he is concerned about her
condition.
He failed to understand why the prosecutor is requesting a one month adjournment and the court set January 26 for the next
hearing.
While they were seated in the dock, the Munroe couple clung to each other and, together, whispered a prayer.
The courtroom was packed with supporters of the prisoners, including from the private school owned by the wife.

Wharton and the Munroes made their first court appearance last December 28, charged with having, between December 1, 2009 and
December 16, 2010, plotted to level war within Guyana and force the President out of office.
The charge for the capital offence is linked to alleged terrorist activities, among them arson at the Ministry of Health, in
Brickdam; attempts to burn Richard Ishmael Secondary School and the Supreme Court building and the gun attack on Brickdam Police
Station, all in Georgetown, during July 2009.
Colin Jones called ‘Bunny’, a recently self-confessed murderer and Kurt Thierens alias ‘Bage’ and ‘Glasses’, who the former
admitted killing, had mysteriously escaped from Providence Police Station, East Bank Demerara, on July 27, 2010, while they were
being held pending investigations into the crimes of terror and murder.
Jones was captured at Amelia’s Ward, Linden, last month and is also on remand in prison, awaiting trial.