A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP), Ganesh Mahipaul and Local Government Election (LGE) Candidate, Kibwe Copeland, have come forward to defend APNU’s support for Winston Harding, who had been charged for alleged child molestation.

Mahipaul and Copeland both maintained that they saw no issue with Harding holding a public office, since he was charged but never convicted of the crime.

Copeland went as far as to say that the party even expected to see resounding support from the electorate for Harding, who is the party’s candidate for Constituency #13 (East and West Ruimveldt).

Harding had first been included on the APNU’s list of candidates in the 2016 LGE; however, after controversy arose in 2016 over the sexual molestation accusations against Harding, the APNU withdrew its support for him.

The party has nonetheless once again returned Harding to its list of candidates for this year’s elections which will be held on Monday.

“When these issues arose… we recognised the seriousness of it and that is why in 2016 we pulled him off. [However] the matter went to the court and I think it was subsequently thrown out if I’m guided correctly, and he [Harding] expressed an interest to participate and we knowing that the case has been thrown out and these allegations no longer linger against him, he was given the opportunity,” Mahipaul remarked.

Although the party had withdrawn its support in 2016, Harding was not removed as a candidate. He went on to win Constituency #13 which gave him a seat on the 30-seat council.

In the subsequent 2018 LGE, APNU replaced Harding with the younger and more vibrant, Trichria Richards as the candidate for Constituency #13.

However, this year, Richards is a candidate for the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

It seems that the APNU has decided to take its chances with Harding who will be going up against Richards.