Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Colin John and opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) activist and radio personality, Margaret London, traded insults outside the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Monday, calling each other “stupid” and “dotish” (doltish) and at one point getting mildly physical.
The exchange occurred after a hearing in the Ben Exeter and Shabazaar GunMunro George matter in which magistrate Bertie Pompey agreed with the defence that he should recuse himself from the case in light of comments he made during the trial on June 6.
The exchange began shortly after reporters had completed an interview with John, who was standing outside the court, where defence counsel, supporters of the NDP and other persons were gathered.
Most onlookers seemed and John and London seemed to have taken the exchange as friendly banter between the two.
While iWitness News is unsure of how the exchange started, we became aware of it when John told London she gets fame from criticising him.
London, who also hosts the pro-NDP programme “Nite Nurse” programme on NICE Radio, told John that he gets fame from doing dotish (doltish) things.
The two proceeded to call each other “stupid” and “dotish”, with John saying that London only became famous after she began hosting her radio programme.
London told John that he has a degree in law and she has a master’s degree in nursing as the two were walking in the direction of Kingstown Park, where their cars were parked.
“That’s your only claim to fame. Yo’ stupid self,” John told London of her radio programme.
“Yo’ getting fame for stupidity. Yo’ so blasted dotish; you so stupid. Watch how you bring the pros–” London was saying as John stopped walking and hunched her.
“Yo’ wah push me over dey,”she said in reference to the gutter at the side of the road.
“Yeah. If again?” John said as London responded, “You know who yo’ dealing with and nudged the prosecutor in the back with her umbrella.
At the same time, defence counsel, Kay Bacchus-Browne, who, along with Israel Bruce, represented Exeter and George in the case stopped in her car and made a light hearted comment.
London pointed out that John had hunched her.
Executive Editor of iWitness News, Kenton X. Chance, sensing a change in the mood of the exchange, told London to leave the prosecutor alone.
She continued her protestations that John had elbowed her and asked if Chance had not seen that.
He responded, “Yeah. But leave the man.”
At that point, London returned to outside the courthouse and went to retrieve her car after the prosecutor left.
Mr Chance, so why you did not tell the man to leave the woman too. Man, how you lopsided so? The other day I begged you to even the playing field, I an begging you again.
Good point! Different stokes for different folks!
Omg! It’s only in SVG this nonsense can occur, in my neck of the woods this dude would be terminated by 8am. What on earth, a professional would have kept his face straight or walk another road, but this dude not only trade bobs with this Wiman and he had the nerve to nudge her with his elbow.. Dude your so fired! Your not fit to tie a cow, much less having such a high position. Wait a minute here! I forgot it’s SVG where assault of woman seems to be the law of the law…
Ms London I hope the jab in the ribs by Colin John did you no damage. I would like to make some remark about John but Kenton would not publish it. Unless he recluses himself seeing as he was there and took part in the conversations, in as much that he asked Margaret to leave the man, rightly so perhaps for the safety of Ms London.
Well, having listened to Ms London yesterday, you will swear that She was maliciously attacked by Mr John but lo and behold, this video show it was just “friendly” banter between grown folks.
Mr Eustace and others on talk radio, suggested that Ms London should make a police report and that’s understandable given the manner in which Ms London reported, how she was “hunched”…but it’s Ms London who ought to be charged for histrionics of the highest order. I think Ms London owe listeners an apology for misleading them in believing that she was physically assaulted.
The clear evidence is that she was assaulted and Kenton Chance witnessed that, are you calling him a liar?
Are you kidding me, TeaherFang! This is the kind of foolishness that makes us as Vincentian look backward to the rest of the world. “Friendly banter”, you got to be kidding me. This guy is not an ordinary individual in our society. He’s the people’s representative in the court of law, his job is to prosecute offensives of this nature on behalf of the people of SVG. Regardless to what, that friendly banter should have never occurred. Words were exchanged from both sides, that’s ok. But he clearly pushed her and admitted that it was intentional to cause some type of mishap. This is the kind of offense that he would prosecute in court, now you are telling me it’s friendly banter. I guess I could use that same defend as precedence in the court of law. He should have shown restraint knowing the position he holds as a member of the court. This is why we have so much lawlessness right now in our country. It people like you who sees wrong and want to white wash it in the name of politics, favoritism and one-track-mindness! Wrong is wrong! We must learn to hold our people accountable, no wonder everyone thinks they are above the law in this country.
He certainly did try to nudge her into that hole, but then she certainly did nudge him with the umbrella. In John’s high position within the government his action and talk were certainly out of line. Kenton is right though, she should have just walked away because John as well as most of the high people in the SVG government are not mature enough to do the right thing in any situation. It is the government (leadership) that should set the example, and not the “little people”.
This story with Ms London shouldn’t even make news. Is it that vincentians have so little to do?
Friendly banter notwithstanding, that looks like physical assault. There is a time and place for everything, and that was not the time and place. Assistant DPP ought to have more control and set a better example. Was there perhaps a hidden message related to the gutter and the female? SVG treatment of women!!!