Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon says treason accused Mark Benschop is one of many prisoners languishing in jail awaiting trials because of the present state of the criminal justice system.
Rejecting claims that Benschop is being discriminated against, he said, Cabinet discussed the issue after calls were sounded in the media for government to take action in the case. He said that Cabinet recognized the present state of the system and the impact it has on prisoners.
Speaking with reporters yesterday at his weekly press briefing, Luncheon said, Cabinet is working on correcting the situation but noted that more judges and magistrates need to be appointed to clear the backlog so that there will be fewer Benschop-type experiences in the court system.
He said the incident in which Benschop is implicated is serious, adding that those who pretend that it was an inconsequential or a trivial occurrence not warranting the application of the full course of the law are deluding themselves.
He drew a parallel between the invasion of the Office of the President and the storming of Parliament in Trinidad and Tobago and added that "death and destruction occurred during both events".
Benschop who is awaiting a re-trial following a hung jury in his High Court case back in December 2004 was imprisoned after he was charged with treason for his alleged involvement in the July 3, 2002 storming of the Office of the President (OP). Two protesters were killed in that attack.
Since his first trial several organizations and letter writers have called on government to grant Benschop a speedy second trial given the nature of the offence for which he is charged. Benschop has also expressed hope he would be tried soon but though his name has appeared on the list of cases at the Demerara Assizes since January 2005 he is still waiting.