Particulars of the capital offence with which he and Phillip Bynoe are jointly charged said, between June 1 and July 3, being citizens of Guyana and owing allegiance to the State, they formed an intention o overthrow the lawfully elected Government by force.

Other details said, during that period, in furtherance of the intent, they:
conspired together with other persons to forcibly and unlawfully enter the compound and premises of Office of the President (OP) in Georgetown and were present and encouraged others, by words and conduct, to unlawfully overtake and storm the same OP compound and premises.

Benschop, of Lot 90 Laluni Street, Queenstown, also in Georgetown, who is co-accused with Bynoe, of Silver City,Wismar, Linden, was represented yesterday by a battery of lawyers, led by Mr Basil Williams and including Mr Sean Allicock, Mr Mortimer Coddett, Mr Raphael Trotman and Mr Roysdale Forde.

Williams said the protest which resulted in the invasion of OP, fatal shooting of two protesters and followed by arson and looting in the capital, was about marginalisation and discrimination and the only mechanism to air grievances is such demonstration.

He said television footage does not show Benschop nor Bynoe invading the Presidential Complex but calling persons out of the place.

Williams said there is no evidence to support the accusation against Benschop and requested bail for the father of two he described as a media practitioner.

But Mrs Holder-Allen said she is bound by the law which stipulates no pre-trial liberty for the crime against the State.

She said the issue is not within her jurisdiction and advised that there should be a speedy hearing.

Police claim that Benschop spoke at public meetings on the East Coast Demerara last month where statements were made to unlawfully overtake and storm OP.

However, Trotman said he and not Benschop was a speaker at the meetings and should have traded places with the prisoner.

The lawyer said July 3 was a “day of infamy” and he would expect a speedy trial because, since Benschop was bailed last Thursday, he was re-arrested and kept in custody.

Trotman said he found it strange that one of the most serious charges has been laid and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was not present.

Coddett said taking Benschop to Court is an indication that people no longer have freedom of speech and lamented the state of democracy in Guyana.

Coddett declared that the State is trying to reinforce an act of terrorism.

Forde submitted that the storming of OP was “untreasonable”.

Police Inspector Gordon Peters, prosecuting, had asked for three weeks to begin the preliminary inquiry but the magistrate set July 23.