Grove woman gets bail over death threats to President Ali

A 59-year-old woman who was seen in a viral video making death threats to President Dr Irfaan Ali has been arraigned for threatening language.
Zalena Ali, called “Kim Ali”, 59, a housewife of Lot 140 Section ‘A’ Block ‘Y’, Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara, was arrested on Sunday, and appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce on Thursday.

The defendant has been charged with threatening language, contrary to Section 141(a) of the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, committed on the President.
She pleaded not guilty to this charge, and has been placed on $25,000 bail. She is to return to the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrates’ Courts on May 18.
In relation to the other charge: for attempting to excite hostility or ill-will, contrary to Section 2(3) of the Racial Hostility Act, committed on Raynard Sobers, Ali pleaded guilty and was fined $75,000.
In the video, which was posted to the popular social media site Tik Tok, Ali allegedly made a series of racial slurs, and called for President Ali to be assassinated. Given the nature of the threats, she was later arrested by ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters.
This is not the first time someone has been arrested for making threats against the Guyanese leader. In June 2022, Marvin Richmond, known as ‘Wakie’, 37, of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara, was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill President Ali.
Reports state that Richmond is mentally ill, and it is unclear whether he was ever charged.
He allegedly made the threat during a protest that had erupted along the ECD corridor over the Police shooting death of Quindon Bacchus, a father of one.
Then in December 2022, 25-year-old Nigerian national Bethel Ikena Chimezie stormed State House — the President’s Official Residence — and demanded to meet with President Ali. When he was confronted by a Presidential Guard, Chimezie relieved the Police rank of his firearm and shot him.
He was later charged with attempted murder and discharging a loaded firearm, and was remanded to prison at his first court appearance.