Beekham convicted for threatening Jagdeo, PPP/C members
– fined ,000
Rameshwar Beekham, the Berbice man who last month threatened to murder former Presidents Bharrat
Convicted: Tameshwar Beekham
Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar and several members of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), including General Secretary Clement Rohee, was on Thursday fined $75,000 by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The 39-year-old farmer of Lot 2804 Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice, pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that during the month of May 2016, using social media site Facebook, he threatened to murder Jagdeo, Ramotar, Rohee and Roger Luncheon.
Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that the defendant is a self-professed political activist who used his cellular phone to make several comments via Facebook, including threatening to murder the abovementioned persons, as well as other PPP/C supporters. The victims made a complaint to the Police and he was arrested and charged.
Subsequent to his arrest, he was taken to Dr Byron Harry at the Psychiatric ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital for a mental evaluation and it was found that he was of a sound mind.
According to Beekham, it started out when he made a comment about independence and praising the Government. He said because of speaking the truth on Facebook, he was attacked by “PPP supporters” who made ridiculous and threatening comments.
“I was not strong enough to take those comments, which I regret. I am sorry,” he told the court.
The Prosecutor indicated that the defendant was jailed for 14 months in 2005 for 14 counts of forgery. A failure to pay the fine will result in him spending six months in prison.
Beekham had posted, “I will one day with my gang I am equipping and training will walk in Freedom House and murder Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP/C top brass”.
An East Bank Essequibo woman was charged under Chapter 23 of the Racial Hostility Act for attempting to incite racial hostility or ill will against President David Granger following a post on Facebook which was deemed threatening.
Bibi Safora Salim, 52, of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo, who is on $200,000 bail posted, “Granger want a bullet in head… I am out of a job now because of them”.
