Venezuelan remanded on threatening behaviour charge

A Venezuelan man accused of threatening behaviour  was remanded to prison on Tuesday by Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Venezuelan national Daniel Hernandez on Monday at Tucville, Georgetown, allegedly made use of threatening behaviour towards Rena Crindoff, whereby a breach of the peace may be occasioned.

Hernandez, 22, was asked whether he wished to appeal for bail and he responded, yes, but he also said that he wanted to be deported to Venezuela.

This request caused a stir in the court as police prosecutor Simone Payne apparently had thought that  the  accused was a Guyanese.

The magistrate then asked why a charge of this nature was brought before her and questioned also whether the police had done a proper investigation before laying the charge.

If Hernandez indeed is not a national of Guyana, such a charge should not be before her and moreover he is asking to be deported and the evidence of his nationality provided by the prosecution was hearsay.

Hernandez said that he does not have a passport which means that he also entered Guyana illegally.

The prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds that the accused was in the country illegally.

The magistrate also  asked that  proper charges be laid if necessary after an investigation into his status. His next court appearance is on May 22 in Court One.