AFC’s Devin Sears “innocent until proven guilty” – Norton

Chairman of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Aubrey Norton on Friday defended Alliance for Change (AFC) member Devin Sears as presumptively innocent until proven guilty in his drug trafficking charge.

Sears was charged with the offence after a vehicle he was driving on Monday was intercepted with over 680 pounds of marijuana. At the time Sears noted that he was “transporting tourism plants”. Sears pleaded not guilty to the charge but remains remanded until November 11. A prominent political figure in Region 10, Sears is a former Regional Member of Parliament (MP) for the APNU+AFC.
On Friday Norton was questioned about the blow that Sears’ situation brings to the already plagued opposition. Norton noted that while he will not defend Sears, notwithstanding how things look, until he is found guilty, Sears remains innocent.
“Like every human being in this society, he should be presumed innocent until he’s proven guilty. We are saying the same thing when it comes to other crimes committed in society, but we seem to just want to make Devin Sears guilty. I will hold no brief for him, but all I would say to you is he should be assumed innocent until proven guilty, and that should apply across the board,” Norton responded.
Similar sentiments were earlier this week echoed in a statement by Sears’ AFC party.
With Region 10 a prominent opposition stronghold, over the years Sears has been a leading voice in the opposition camp. Sears has served as a councillor at the Linden Mayor and Town Council, vice chairman and chairman of AFC’s Region 10 Chapter, General Secretary of the AFC Youth Arm For Change, and Organising Secretary for AFC’s Region 10 Management Committee.
He was also serving as the vice chairman of the Region Ten Tourism Committee Inc at the time of his arrest. He has since resigned from this position.
It was on Monday that the Police reported that 39-year-old Sears was pulled over at around 20:41 hrs in the vicinity of the old Bamia Police Checkpoint in Linden while driving a minibus registered to the Region 10 Tourism Committee.
During the stop, Police stated that Sears began to act in a suspicious manner and was sweating profusely. He was accompanied by 69-year-old Albert Sandy, a farmer from Tacama Waterfront, Upper Berbice River.
An officer then instructed Sears to pull over and then informed him that a search would be conducted on the vehicle.
During the search, Police uncovered 22 plastic bags and four canvas bags, which, when searched, turned out to be marijuana.
Both men were told of the offence, arrested, and cautioned.
Police said Sears remained silent, while Sandy admitted ownership, stating that the narcotics belonged to him and that he had paid the AFC member to transport him to Parika.
Sandy has since pleaded guilty to the offence on Thursday and was sentenced to four years imprisonment when they appeared before Magistrate Rushelle Liverpool at Linden Magistrate’s Court.
During the court appearance Sears was represented by fellow AFC member and former leader, attorney Nigel Hughes, along with attorney Bernard DaSilva.