Duke charged with sedition, back in hospital again

LEADER of the Public Services Association (PSA) Watson Duke was charged on Thursday night with one count of sedition, before being taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital again for treatment, according to his attorney John Heath.

Heath confirmed his client was charged with the offence before he was taken to the hospital again, after he complained of exhaustion and stress, just after 7 pm. He was reportedly taken to the hospital in a police vehicle while reporters waited outside the Port of Spain CID, St Vincent Street, where he was being charged.

"Earlier, he discharged himself once he was told that he was going to be formally charged, as he didn't want to waste any time at all. He was brought here and he complained of feeling unwell, so they took whatever safety precautions and took him to the Port of Spain General Hospital.

"Subject to him being discharged, he will have to appear in court tomorrow (today), unless he again self-discharges he will be at the hospital."

Heath also said the issue of bail has not arisen owing to Duke's health conditions.

Duke was charged with sedition in relation to comments made during a television interview last November in which he urged workers of TSTT, TTEC and WASA to be "prepared to die."

"This is your belief folks, this is your family and I am sending the message clear, let Rowley them know that the day they come for us in WASA, we are prepared to die and the morgue would be picking up people," he was quoted as saying.

Sedition is defined as any remark which brings ha­tred or con­tempt, or ex­cites dis­af­fec­tion against the gov­ern­ment, the con­sti­tu­tion, par­lia­ment or the jus­tice sys­tem.

It is a bailable offence.