LOCAL artiste Daniel Wharton was, on Tuesday, granted $45,000 bail by a judge of the Demerara High Court for the offence of blasphemous libel, just days after a senior magistrate had ordered his remand.
Wharton, also known as Baby Skello, a 31-year-old resident of Lot 174 Block Y, Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD), appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrates’ Courts on June 13, 2025.

After entering a not guilty plea to the charge, Magistrate Latchman denied him bail and ordered that he be remanded to prison until July 1, 2025.

Magistrate Latchman’s decision to deny bail to Wharton drew widespread criticism from several attorneys, including Education Minister Priya Manickchand.
“We are jailing someone for mumbling or trying to sing something offensive against a female goddess…but failing to address speedily domestic violence matters where women are at the mercy of the court…I truly hope he has a lawyer who will have this odd decision reversed at the high court,” Minister Manickchand expressed in a Facebook post.

As a result, attorneys Dexter Todd and Everton Singh-Lammy filed an application in the High Court, requesting that Wharton be granted reasonable bail.
The application was heard and decided by Justice Simone Morris, who ruled in Wharton’s favour and granted him bail in the amount of $45,000, pending the outcome of his trial.
Section 347 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, titled “Blasphemous Libel,” provides that: “Everyone who publishes blasphemous libel shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and liable to imprisonment for one year.”
Wharton faced widespread condemnation from the public over the song, which was deemed offensive and disrespectful to the Hindu community.

His prosecution followed an investigation conducted by the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), which found that the song contained blasphemous and obscene references to a Hindu deity.

According to a statement from ERC, Wharton portrayed the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi in a vulgar, and blasphemous manner.

Further, the ERC formally requested Wharton to remove the song from all digital platforms and cease all forms of public dissemination of the material. He complied and subsequently issued a public apology for the incident.
The ERC also affirmed that it would explore all legal avenues available under the laws of Guyana in addressing this matter.

In addition, the Commission said it will intensify its efforts to engage with stakeholders, including artistes, producers, and media platforms—to promote awareness of the importance of religious respect.
It noted that educational campaigns will be launched to reinforce those values, especially among younger audiences and content creators.
The ERC assured citizens that it remains steadfast in its mandate to protect the rights, dignity, and beliefs of all Guyanese and to ensure that acts of religious disrespect are met with decisive and lawful responses