– says government should let the Court’s ruling rest
A PARTNERSHIP for National Unity (APNU) disagrees with government’s intention to examine the options that exist in the face of the Court-ruling on Wednesday to free the three treason accused on the basis of insufficient evidence. During the party’s weekly press conference at its Hadfield and Cross streets office yesterday, shadow Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams said the partnership is pleased with the Court’s decision.
“They are saying that the ground on which the Acting Chief Magistrate held a no-case submission was that the charges were not properly filed and lacked the necessary ingredients to constitute the evidence,” Williams pointed out.
He expressed the view that should the government pursue further action, it will not be fruitful.
APNU believes that the ruling by the magistrate exercises the independence of the three branches of government, noting that the independence of the Judiciary is very important.
APNU commended the magistrate for taking such a bold step, adding that they knew from the onset that the charges were not sustainable.
“We knew that the legal team representing those persons was competent enough to deal with the matters as they occurred, and we were not surprised as the Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon was,” Williams said. He believes that Dr. Luncheon should let the court’s ruling rest as it is.
In an invited comment on Wednesday, after his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing, Dr. Luncheon told reporters that while the information under the circumstances in which the trio was released remained sketchy, he was indeed surprised by the decision.
“The matter will not end there; but at this point we have to examine what options exist in the face of the Court’s ruling”, the HPS said.
Army Major Bruce Munroe, his wife, Carol Munroe, and former Reserve Officer, Leonard Wharton, were accused, in December,- 2010, of intending to level war within Guyana which would eventually force the President out of office, in order to compel the Guyana Government to change its governing measures.