Sixteen persons have been slapped with riotous behaviour charges under Section 136 (b) of the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:02.
The 16 accused all appeared at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Fabayo Azore on Wednesday when the charges were read to them. Fifteen of the 16 persons pleaded not guilty while one pleaded guilty.
Those charged were Rondolph Murphy, 50, of Belfield Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara (ECD); Jawonza Fowler, 18, of Hackett Street, Golden Grove, ECD; Michael Moore, 23, of Victoria, ECD; Rawl Griffith, 45, of Haslington, ECD; George Teixy, 31, of Haslington, ECD; Daniel Thomas, 19, of Haslington, ECD; Legendi Pompey, 33, of Haslington, ECD; Seon Austin, 31, of Golden Grove, ECD; Quice Lawrence, 40, of Golden Grove, ECD; Winston James, 23, of Victoria, ECD; Andrew Sumner, 59, of Victoria, ECD; Shentel Caesar, 25, of Melanie, ECD; Rondel Clarke, 21, of Ann’s Grove, ECD; Shamar Payne, 23, of Bachelor’s Adventure, ECD; Kevon Nicholas, 18, of Haslington, ECD and Kester Paul, 24, of Haslington, ECD.
The 15 persons who pleaded not guilty to the charges were placed on $15,000 bail each and while Sumner, who pleaded guilty, was fined $20,000. The cases will continue on October 19, 2022.
The persons were charged following the chaos that unfolded on the East Coast of Demerara on Tuesday which started as a protest at Golden Grove calling for justice for slain Quindon Bacchus.
However, the protest escalated into terror along the ECD corridor with several vendors at the Mon Repos Market being robbed while their stalls were vandalised and goods looted.
Armed with cutlasses, knives, iron bars, and other handy weapons, looters stormed Mon Repos Market just after 10:00h.
Claiming that they were avenging the shooting death of Bacchus which took place on June 10, the rioters proceeded to destroy goods, burn stalls and vehicles, shatter windscreens, and even assault vendors who were forced to run into the adjoining streets in fear for their lives.
After the looters made off with fruits, vegetables, clothing, shoes, and other articles which were being sold in the makeshift market, vendors were left counting their losses, which could amount to millions of dollars.
