UWI students want vacation trial

LAWYERS for two University of the West Indies’ students who were arrested at a protest at the St Augustine campus, last October, are hoping they will go on trial during the semester break in July-August.

Nathaniel George and Brian Richards are before Adrian Darmanie in the Tunapuna Magistrates’ Court.

Darmanie was absent, but attorneys for the students and the prosecution agreed that the trial should take place after their final exams in June and before the new semester starts in September.

Exact trial dates will be set on June 13, when the two returns to court.

At this morning's hearing, presided over by a clerk of the peace, the duo’s attorneys made a further request for disclosure of the evidence to be used to prosecute them.

The request includes copies of any statements or interviews given by the students, statements of civilian witnesses and police officers, the name of the person who called the police to the scene, the nature of the complaint, station diary extracts, police pocket diary extracts, any CCTV footage, photographs or video footage in the police’s possession.

George and Richards were charged with obstructing a police officer in the conduct of his duty and resisting arrest on October 18.

They are both on $5,000 bail.

According to the police’s reports, the students were arrested after they allegedly tried to prevent officers from reopening UWI’s southern gates to traffic during a protest by students who were calling for more security measures at the campus.

The protest was sparked by the sexual assault of a second-year female student at the Student Activity Centre.

The duo is being represented by John Jeremie, SC, Keith Scotland, Prakash Ramadhar, Ian Brooks, Brian Baig and Keisha Kydd-Hanibal.

Attorney Donna Paul is representing the DPP's Office.