Essequibo trio slapped with DUI charges

The narcotics found in the haversack

The narcotics were weighed and amounted to 12 lbs, with a street value of approximately $1.8 million.

Hotel Rwanda hero Paul Rusesabagina freed from prison

Paul Rusesabagina, who was portrayed as a hero in the Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda and was serving a 25-year sentence in the country on “terrorism” charges, has been freed from prison after having his sentence commuted by presidential order.

Rusesabagina, 68, was accompanied by a United States embassy official as he was moved from prison to the residence of Qatar’s ambassador in the Rwandan capital Kigali late on Friday, according to two senior officials of US President Joe Biden’s Administration who briefed reporters in Washington, DC.

The decision to commute

Rusesabagina’s sentence followed his request for clemency, Government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told Al Jazeera on Friday.

But “no one should be under any illusion about what this means as there is consensus that serious crimes were committed, for which they were convicted,” Makolo said. Under Rwandan law, commutation “does not extinguish the underlying conviction”, she said.

Rusesabagina, an outspoken critic of President Paul Kagame, is expected to be transferred to Qatar’s capital Doha and then to the US, Majid Al-Ansari, spokesperson of Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Al Jazeera on Friday. Rusesabagina has permanent residency rights in the US.

Rusesabagina was sentenced in 2021 to a 25-year prison term for being part of a group responsible for “terrorist” attacks – charges he denied. He refused to participate in his trial, which he and his supporters called a “sham”.

He had suddenly reappeared in Rwanda in August 2020 after years of living in exile. Rusesabagina had boarded a plane in Dubai, believing it was taking him to Burundi but the flight brought him to Kigali instead. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Three men from the Essequibo Coast faced charges of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) this week, with two pleading guilty and receiving fines while the third pleaded not guilty and was granted bail.

Allan Baharally, a 46-year-old resident of Charity Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, appeared before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Charity Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Baharally was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol on February 21, 2023, on the New Road Public Road, Essequibo

Coast. He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of $30,000. The case was adjourned until April 24, 2023.

Govindra Gobin, of West Columbia Public Road, Essequibo Coast, was charged with the offence of driving under the influence of alcohol on March 17, 2023, on the Reliance Public Road. He too appeared before Magistrate Esther Sam and pleaded guilty. He was fined $60,000 or one week’s imprisonment.

In addition, Fazal Andrews, a resident of Lima Public Road, Essequibo Coast, was arrested while driving under the influence of alcohol on February 19 along the Richmond Public Road, Essequibo Coast. He also appeared before Magistrate Esther Sam and pleaded guilty and was fined $50,000. Andrews was also disqualified from driving for twenty-four (24) months.

The Police are reminding the public to never drink and drive, as it endangers both the driver and other road users. They encourage individuals to make responsible choices when consuming alcohol and to always have a designated driver or utilise public transportation to ensure the safety of all.