Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore today dismissed a case brought against Executive Chairman of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and Rights Activist, Tacuma Ogunseye. In 2023, he was charged with attempting to excite racial hostility.

During a public meeting in Buxton in 2023, Ogunseye called on Guyanese to engage in civil disobedience and non-cooperation. He was later charged with attempting to excite racial hostility and was placed on $100,000 bail.

Today in the Vigilance Magistrates’ Court, Magistrate Azore ruled that while the Prosecution had established that Ogunseye was speaking to African Guyanese, there was nothing in his speech that targeted hate at a specific group, his Attorney Nigel Hughes told News Source.

 “The Magistrate found that he did speak to and about African people being in armed forces but he did not target any hate towards a specific racial group. He spoke about the PPP which is a political party,” Hughes said.

According to Hughes, the Magistrate found that Ogunseye was merely quoting what was said to him by a Diplomat, and as such, he was not the author of the statement.

The Magistrate also took into consideration that the statement was made at a political rally in campaign season.

Co-Leader of the WPA, Dr David Hinds told News Source that Ogunseye has been vindicated.

“We always felt that the police had overreached and that, in effect, it was a political charge. And, we always felt that it could not stand the test in court. So, we are happy that the case has been dismissed,” Dr Hinds said.

He said the Government must desist from weaponizing the Guyana Police Force, and should direct the Police to focus on real crimes.

“We also would like to call on the Government to stop these political charges. There are quite a few of them in the courts, and the Government’s time, the police’s time would be better spent fighting against the scourges in the society, problems in society, rather than going after political opponents,” he said.

Dr. Hinds said the right to free speech is a celebrated right, and the outcome of the case has increased the space for free speech in the country. 

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