No start in trial of protesting rice farmers

The case against the rice farmers who were arrested and charged with blocking the Land of Plenty Public Road and burning tyres during a protest, was adjourned on Tuesday.

The case was adjourned until August 19 after the prosecution advised that the file had been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Georgetown for advice and had not been returned.

Those who were charged on July 8 at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court included Naith Ram, 53, of Bush Lot; Taij Persaud Seecharran, 55, of Devonshire Castle; Dhanniram Naipaul, 53, of Reliance; Chetlall, 57, of Reliance; Bridge Lall, 51, of Reliance; Nayeem Mohammed, 35, of Reliance; Ganesh Mootilall, 29, of Reliance; Bhim Singh, 67, of Reliance; Azrudeen Kamrudeen, 21, of Reliance; Seif Ally, 21, of Land of Plenty; Naresh Ramnauth, 21 of Three Friends; Persaud Ramnauth, 43 of Annandale; Ravindra Ramotar, 18, of Reliance; Poashon Gaylall, 36, of Land of Plenty; Dennis Raymond, 59, of Land of Plenty; Vishnu Raymond, 34, of Land of Plenty and Soolall Raymond, 47, of Land of Plenty.

On their arraignment before Magistrate Sunil Scarce, the charge read to them stated that on July 4, at Land of Plenty, they riotously assembled together and continued together after being lawfully required or commanded to disperse. They had all pleaded not guilty. Bail was subsequently granted to each man in the sum of $5,000 and they were all ordered to report to the sergeant-in-charge of the Anna Regina Police Station every Saturday at 9am and were also bonded to keep the peace until the hearing and completion of the matter.