Protest mounts against rape-accused chairman
Protesters on the picket line on Tuesday
Protesters on the picket line on Tuesday

— Residents call for Brentnol Ashley’s resignation

RESIDENTS of Mabaruma on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest as they upped the ante for Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley to resign in light of rape allegations levelled against him.

The protest commenced around 08:00hrs at the Broomes Airfield at Mabaruma where Ashley was awaiting a flight to Georgetown.

Ashley has been accused raping a 22-year-old differently-abled man; the incident reportedly occurred in the days leading up to Republic anniversary celebrations last month.

The incident allegedly occurred at a city hotel where Ashley reportedly lured the young man after taking him out to drink a case of beers.

On Tuesday, the protesters had initially planned to stage the exercise outside of Ashley’s office at the Mabaruma compound. However, their efforts shifted to the airstrip after they received word that the embattled public official was awaiting a flight there.

Town councillor, Cleveland December, who was on the picket line, told the Guyana Chronicle that the matter was deeper than politics as some have alleged.

“This is about protesting for our future generations, and having a leader that is allegedly engaging in that sort of activity is not good for the region nor the country,” he said.

December said the residents of the town are annoyed, and expressed hope that systems are put in place to address the issue as soon as possible.

“By law, if a sitting officer or public official is facing such an allegation, the right thing for them to do is to step down until proven innocent,” December said.

Another protester said he is happy that the young man was not afraid to speak out; others said that the allegations being made against Ashley are not surprising.

“We are told that there are other such incidents, but for fear of victimisation, others may not want to speak out,” another protester said.

December said that as the head of the region, Ashley should not be sitting in that position when such allegations are swirling around in public.

FEARFUL

Although the turnout was not huge, the residents have noted that many persons are fearful of publicly protesting, since their business may be targeted.

Meanwhile, since the matter surfaced last weekend, many persons expressed surprise at the allegations; some members of the Roman Catholic Church at Mabaruma, where Ashley has been an ardent member, say he must step down from office and allow for a full investigation into the matter.

There are reports at Mabaruma that the victim and his mother have been coerced into silence by persons affiliated with the Opposition. Reports are that such actions include the young man’s phone being taken away from him by relatives.

The matter came to light last weekend and reports are that it was first raised after the man’s uncle and his wife received calls from him while he was stranded in a city hotel.

The young man reportedly receives assistance from the regional chairman, and that days before the Mashramani celebrations, he travelled to the city with the public official for treatment for a mental health issue. This annoyed the man’s uncle who was in two minds about his sick nephew travelling with Ashley.

The victim was taken to the Indigenous Residence on Princes Street and the following day, he alleged that Ashley picked him up and took him to drink a case of beers. He said Ashley then took him to a hotel and violated him.

While Ashley was showering, the young man called his uncle to relate the horrifying experience, but the calls went unanswered until the uncle’s wife took them.

Reports are that after Ashley heard the man on the phone with his relatives, he bolted out of the hotel, leaving the young man stranded with just $100. The victim was not familiar with making his way around the city since it was his first trip to Georgetown.

The man later made contact with relatives who rescued him. The matter is engaging the attention of the Ministry of Social Protection.

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