Revocation of Exeter’s firearm licence a flagrant abuse of authority – Lawyers

The revoCation of the firearm licence of Benjamin Exeter supports claims that the New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate is being politically victimized and personally pursued by the authorities.

The is the view of Israel Bruce, one of Exeter’s lawyers, who, at a press conference on Tuesday, was responding to the revocation of Exeter’s firearm licence on December 30, 2015,{{more}} one day after Exeter was arrested and charged with resisting arrest and assault.

Bruce said that when Exeter’s firearm was taken away, he was told that it would be reissued. However, following his court appearance, Exeter was presented with the relevant documents to sign and was advised that his licence had been revoked.

Bruce and Kay Bacchus-Browne, another of Exeter’s lawyers, have described this turn of events as “a flagrant abuse of authority.”

Speaking at Tuesday’s press conference which was held at her office at White Chapel Road, Bacchus-Browne said that her client’s firearm was taken away “in a very undemocratic and autocratic way.”

She, however, said that the decision to revoke Exeter’s licence will be contested.

Bruce said that the Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) North Leeward candidate Carlos James continues to hold his firearm licence, although he discharged his firearm in Petit Bordel recently.

“Carlos James, as far as we know, continues to hold his licence, if he has one; his has not been revoked. This is persecution with an objective. There is a greater objective to put a stumbling block in his (Exeter’s) way,” said Bruce.

Bruce is of the opinion that there is a conspiracy to have Exeter charged with an offence, so that he cannot contest future elections. Exeter, who contested the December 9, 2015 general elections for the NDP, last month filed an election petition, contesting the results in the Central Leeward constituency where he ran.

Exeter, who was also present at the press conference, said that he applied for the firearm licence to protect himself and his property and, “now, I have no protection.”

He revealed that he sought to carry a firearm after his house was burglarized four times in a year and a half prior to receiving the licence. He has held the licence since May 2015 and since that time the burglaries at his property have ceased.(LC)