Opposition leader reacts to new charges against Kenson King

THE RECENT charges handed down to activist, Kenson King demonstrates a “colonial mentality” and “smacks of efforts to put political pressure” on him.

This is the view expressed on radio by opposition leader, Dr Godwin Friday who expressed his solidarity with King who appeared in court yesterday morning, having been charged with three counts of uttering sedition words.

“I mean what a colonial mentality…Sedition? Honestly? You can’t talk out against the government? But anyway, the matter is a criminal charge, it’s there so let them seek to prove their case. I’m not gonna say much more about the validity or lack thereof of the charge…I just want him to know that there are people who are watching. It’s not happening in the darkness and it’s not happening without our concern,” Friday said during the New Times radio programme on March 28.

King was arrested on Friday morning, March 25 and was later charged for his use of apparently seditious language.

His lawyer, Ronnia Durham-Balcombe made an application to the court yesterday to have a permanent stay of proceedings, on the basis that the activist was kept in custody for a longer period than is allowed by law. April 25 is the date set for the ruling on the matter, to allow for written submissions from both sides to be made.

“People of this country understand that he is somebody that speaks out, he speaks his mind and he stands up for things that we all agree are things that we need to, which is justice, for democracy, for keeping the government accountable and it’s something that more of us ought to do,” Friday said.

He denounced the practice of police arresting someone on Friday and keeping them in custody over the weekend until they appear in court on Monday to receive bail.

“Why not give station bail and then say ‘ok come to court on Monday to answer the charge’?” the opposition leader questioned, adding that “it just smacks of efforts to put political pressure on this person”.

“We hope that’s not the case but people will draw conclusions from what they see here. In any event, the matter will be in the court,” Friday said.