Man fined for death threats against Jagdeo, Ramotar and others
A 39-year-old self-professed coalition government supporter was yesterday fined after he admitted to
Fined: Tameshwar Beekham
making death threats via Facebook to two former presidents, when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan yesterday, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
During the month of May, Tameshwar Beekham, of Corentyne, Berbice threatened, by way of writing on the social media platform, to murder Former Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar, and People’s Progressive Party (PPP)’s General Secretary Clement Rohee.
The farmer was remorseful for his action and was ordered to pay a fine of $75,000.
Failure to pay the fine will see him spending six months in jail.
Earlier this year, the man took to his Facebook page and openly stated his intentions of targeting Freedom House and killing Jagdeo and other members of the PPP.
Beckham turned himself into police at the Springlands Police Station on June 6, after a bulletin was issued for his arrest.
Police attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown investigated the matter.
When asked if he had anything to say by the court, Beekham claimed that he had made post on Facebook to highlight the accomplishments of the coalition government. He said that he was attacked by PPP supporters for speaking the truth.
Beekham also claimed that he was not strong at the time to defend himself against persons who commented on his post, and later made the threats against the former presidents and the party’s general secretary.
Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones told the court that a psychiatric evaluation was done on Beekham by Government Psychiatrist Dr. Bhiro Harry. He pointed out that the man was proven fit to stand trial.
The prosecutor said that Beekham used his mobile phone to make the death threats to the victims and other supporters of the opposition party.
The charge against Beekham comes two months after a 52-year-old Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo woman was charged for allegedly posted threats to President David Granger and made racially-inciting comments about African Guyanese via her Facebook and WhatsApp accounts.
The woman, Bibi Safoora Salim, a mother of three, was slapped with two charges that were filed under the Racial Hostility Act, for attempting to incite excitement, hostility or ill-will on the grounds of race.
One of the charges alleged that during the period of March 1 and 31, the woman attempted to incite hostility or ill-will against the President by posting on Facebook “Granger want a bullet in he head” among others. She was also accused of sending derogatory remarks about the President from her cell phone to her son’s cell phone via WhatsApp.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges in April and is currently out on $200,000 bail.