CHAIRMAN OF FOPA EVACUATION CENTRE BEFORE COURT
Court. Photo credit: SIBC.
The Chairman of the FOPA Evacuation centre’s internal committee and his spokesperson appeared at the Magistrate Courts this morning on charges of allegedly obstructing and refusing to cooperate with Government disaster officials.
The two were charged under the National Disaster Council Act with 6 counts of obstructing Government officials in the execution of their duties, and another 6 counts for refusing to cooperate with Government officials during a state of emergency.
It was alleged that on separate dates in April after the floods, the two accused prevented and chased the officers away from the FOPA Evacuation centre when they went there to carry out their duties including the repatriation of the victims.
But the lawyer for the accused told the Court this morning, the charges should be withdrawn and new charges laid.
He said a statutory offence as in this case, is different from the penal Code and this should be taken into account.
The prosecution agreed to discuss with the defence about the new charges.
The case will appear again before the Court on July 1st.