Exeter to answer charges on April 4

Benjamin Exeter, the New Democratic Party (NDP) politician who has been slapped with four charges in relation to an incident on December 29, 2015, will return to court on April 4, 2016.

When Exeter appeared in court yesterday, his attorney Kay Bacchus-Browne asked for an adjournment,{{more}} because of another engagement she had at the High Court, and for a date that would facilitate the nine police witnesses and two or three witnesses testifying on Exeter’s behalf.

Exeter has been charged with assaulting police officer Cuthbert Morris, resisting arrest and assaulting police officer Granville deFreitas, causing actual bodily harm, following an incident on December 29. Exeter was among supporters of the NDP who were staging a protest outside Parliament, when he was approached by police officers. The interaction between Exeter and the police resulted in the charges.

One week later, Exeter, a licensed firearm holder, was additionally charged with carrying an offensive weapon without lawful authority, contrary to Section 41 of the Public Order Act Chapter 396.

He has pleaded not guilty to all four charges.

Shabazaah George, who was also present at the protest and faces two charges, also had his matter adjourned to April 4, 2016.

He was charged that on December 29, he did obstruct police officer 632 Cuthbert Morris, acting in due execution of his duty, contrary to section 196 of the criminal code. He was further charged that on the said date, without lawful excuse in a public place, to wit the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), he had in his possession an offensive weapon, to wit a zapper, contrary to section 76(1) of the criminal code.

Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Colin John is prosecuting this matter.(AS)