Barbudans Enter Court
After years of legal battles, the case against 22 Barbudans accused of trespassing on land leased to Peace Love and Happiness (PLH) has been dismissed.
The charges, which have been viewed by many as textbook intimidation tactics, were dropped due to the prosecution’s consistent lack of readiness and failure to produce necessary witnesses.
Attorney Leon “Chaku” Symister, representing the 22 defendants, expressed relief and vindication over the case’s outcome.
“Exactly two years and eleven days ago, 22 persons were hauled before the court alleging that they trespassed on land leased by PLH. We have been coming to court since November 2020, dealing with this matter, and except for a short adjournment that we requested, the prosecution has never been ready. They never had the witnesses they claimed they had that were required for this case to go to trial,” Symister said.
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The prosecution’s inability to present a virtual complainant, a representative from PLH who would have filed the initial complaint to the police, played a significant role in the case’s dismissal.
“There were never any written complaints that they could provide to the defense, and astonishingly, no one from PLH has ever come to court, although this matter was scheduled on at least five different occasions,” Symister added.
Symister and his clients believe the attempted prosecution was a deliberate effort to intimidate and criminalize Barbudans who are defending their ancestral land.
“We are satisfied that this attempted prosecution was a way to frighten people in Barbuda who are defending their land. They have failed, and they will continue to fail despite their efforts to use the criminal justice system to criminalize legal conduct carried out by Barbudans. We will have none of it,” Symister declared.
The dismissal of this case has reignited discussions about land rights and business dealings in Barbuda.
Many Barbudans feel strongly that enough is enough and are calling for their land back. The sentiment of distrust towards entities like PLH is growing, with calls for the community to reconsider any future business engagements with such organizations.
“Why should Barbudans do any business with these people?” Symister questioned, reflecting the community’s frustration. “Enough is enough. We want our land back!”
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