Three persons who were arrested in connection with derogatory graffiti about President Bharrat Jagdeo which were spray-painted across roads along the East Coast, East Bank and in the city, were yesterday released on station bail.
A senior police officer confirmed that the trio, which included two Linden residents – a woman and her nephew – were released on $25,000 station bail yesterday morning. Stabroek News was told that they are to return to the Timehri Police Station at 8 am tomorrow to continue assisting police with their investigations.
According to the senior officer, those arrested were caught in the act.
The trio were arrested late Thursday night as persons sprayed the anti-Jagdeo slogans many of which contained foul language, ahead of the President’s Day of Appreciation.
Meanwhile a source told this newspaper yesterday that the woman, her nephew and a relative were headed to the Linden-Soesdyke Highway to await transportation to Linden after attending a spiritual function at Kuru Kururu. This was some time around 11pm.
The group had already contacted the driver of the bus that was supposed to pick them up. As they waited on the vehicle, this newspaper was told, they were standing talking when a bus came up with some people who had spray cans.
According to the source, the persons proceeded to spray graffiti in white paint on the roadway. While they were doing this, the police arrived on the scene. The source claimed that as the ranks, approached, the persons jumped into the bus which then sped off.
The woman, her nephew and the relative were left standing at the scene. As the police approached them, the nephew apparently became scared and proceeded to hide behind his aunt. The ranks, the source said, asked the nephew why he was running and that he was wanted. The woman, this newspaper was told, objected and the ranks promptly told her to stay out of it.
She later said that if the young man had to go to the police station, she was going to go too. The woman and her nephew were later taken to the Timehri Police Station. Apparently the police had already detained a third person in connection with the incident.
The woman was placed on the bench while the young man was placed in the lock-ups, the source said.
A relative of the two later turned up at the station to inquire why they were not being released. Police were reportedly waiting on the Appreciation activities to conclude.
When they were released they were not told if they would be charged.
