Opposition Leader’s Videographer on $600,000 Bail Over Unlicensed Drone charges

A videographer, who reportedly does work for Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed, was slapped with three charges today and placed on a total of $600,000 bail.

The videographer, Dwayne Ross, was charged for operating an unmanned aerial vehicle without a permit, operating an unmanned aerial vehicle over the home of President Irfaan Ali without permission, and operating the drone at night in breach of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Directives.

In Court today, the Special Prosecutors objected to bail, but the Magistrate granted bail of $200,000 on each of the three charges.

The man’s Attorney, Eusi Anderson, told the Court that the directives of the Civil Aviation Authority are not enforced in law.

The Attorney explained to the Court, that with respect to all of the charges, a drone is not defined in the the legislation as within the meaning of an aerial or unmanned aerial vehicle. He said all of the charges are therefore dubious in law.

He said the offence his client may have committed is being in association with the Leader of the Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed.

Pointing the Court’s attention to the scene of the alleged offences, Anderson said on the night in question, Ross was parked at the back of a vehicle in which Mohamed was seated in front of a masjid in Leonora, when he was approached by ranks of the Guyana Police Force.

According to the Attorney, Mr. Ross was informed by the Police that an unlawful drone was operating in the area.

“My client was seated in the back seat and that was the extent of any evidence that he was operating a drone,” Anderson told the Court.

Anderson submitted to the Court that the charges are all dubious and are bad at law, noting that this is the first time in the country’s history that a directive has a force in law and forms the basis of a complaint.

The matter will continue