August Threatens Legal Action After Cybercrime Case Collapses

Former UDP Deputy Chairman Alberto August says he may sue the government after the DPP ordered cybercrime charges against him withdrawn. August was arrested in late May over a Facebook post aimed at then Home Affairs Minister Oscar Mira. Police held him for more than a day and seized his cellphones. Last week, Acting Home Affairs Minister Julius Espat sent the case to the DPP, who later directed that the charges be dropped and August’s devices returned. Now, August says he is relieved, but not ready to move on. He is waiting on legal advice before deciding whether to take the government to court.

 

Alberto August, Accused of Cyberbullying

“Yesterday or the day before, I received a call from Stacey Smith the police spokesperson informing me that on the directive of the director of public prosecution, the charges were withdrawn against me and that my items would have been returned to me. Since then I got them yesterday. After being away from the phone for so long now you have to get used to it all over again because even though he opened the phone, several of the things that I have on it gone missing. So it set me back. I’ve still not been able to fully recover in terms of the services that I used to get from that telephone.”

 

Shane Williams

“Do you plan to pursue a lawsuit against the government for this?”

 

Alberto August

“I am depending on the advice of the lead counsel Chairman Michael Peyrefitte, who will advise me as to as to the next course of action. But I received a visit yesterday from inspector, an inspector here from the St. Ignacio Police Penello. Inspector Pinelo visited me about around mid-morning yesterday informing me that I need to go to the court so that they can officially withdraw the charges against me in front of the court. It is unfortunate as to what happened afterwards. But like I say, probably- It might be a blessing in disguise when you see as though all the abuse that these people were engaged in, at taxpayers’ expense. We’re hoping for the government to take firm action, for the Prime Minister to take firm action against these individuals so as to send a message to other colleagues in, in, in government that, you don’t do these things, man.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

Watch the full newscast here: