Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine and Opposition Parliamentarian Sherod Duncan were each placed on $200,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for attempting to incite racial and ethnic division in the country.
Narine and Duncan were arrested on Wednesday and charged under Guyana’s Racial Hostility Act related to statements made against the Muslim community and President Dr Irfaan Ali.
The first charge alleged that the pair on December 12, at New Market Street, intentionally transmitted a video attempting to excite racial division.
They were not required to plead to this indictable charge. The second charge alleged that Narine and Duncan, on the same date and location, attempted to incite racial hostility to a section of the public on the grounds of their race.
The pair pleaded not guilty to the charge.
While the pair was being arraigned, opposition supporters were outside the court compound protesting; the police were present and cordoned off the area.
The Chief Magistrate released Duncan and Narine on $100,000 bail for each count. The case was adjourned to January 20, 2023.
As a condition of their bail, the men were ordered to refrain from posting or airing any material relating to the incident pending the outcome of the case.
The men were then taken before Magistrate Clive Nurse and were made to answer to two counts of obstructing the free flow of traffic on the same date and location.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges and were released on self-bail.
The charges were filed against the two following an investigation by the Police and advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
