Latest news with #criminality
CBC
an hour ago
- Politics
- CBC
Crown seeking 8 years for convoy leader Chris Barber, 7 for Tamara Lich
Social Sharing The Crown says it's seeking an extraordinary sentence for an unprecedented crime, as court began hearing sentencing submissions Wednesday in the mischief case of Ottawa truck convoy leaders Tamara Lich and Chris Barber. Crown prosecutor Siobhain Wetscher asked Justice Heather Perkins-McVey to impose a prison sentence of seven years for Lich and eight years for Barber. But Barber's lawyer called that "cruel and unusual punishment." Instead, she argued her client should walk free with an absolute discharge. Barber was found guilty in April of mischief and counselling others to disobey a court order, while Lich was convicted of mischief alone. Wetscher admitted the sentences she's asking for are at the upper end of the range — the Criminal Code sets a maximum of 10 years for mischief — but she argued that they're justified. "It's not a sentence that is being sought lightly, but one that the Crown believes is proportional," Wetscher said. Wetscher said the pair played prominent leadership roles in the weeks-long occupation that took over downtown Ottawa for more than three weeks in early 2022. She said the Crown isn't seeking to punish them for their political beliefs, but for crossing the line into "sustained criminality" that paralyzed the city and flouted the law. "The Crown acknowledges that it's seeking an extraordinary sentence in this case," she said. "However, Mr. Barber and Ms. Lich are criminally responsible for extraordinary harm and profound impact to the public." She quoted from witness impact statements from residents and business owners who endured the protest, leaving them with hefty financial losses and lasting psychological scars. "It's difficult to imagine an offence of mischief with greater impact," Wetscher said. 8 years an 'abusive' sentence: Barber's lawyer But Barber's lawyer Diane Magus argued that examples of such offences are easy to find. She came armed with precedents, citing serious mischief cases that resulted in sentences far more lenient than what the Crown is seeking for Lich and Barber. She mentioned Pat King, who was convicted for his role in the same protest but received a three-month conditional sentence, plus nine-months' credit for time served. Wetscher argued that King was a less influential figure among the Ottawa protesters compared to Lich and Barber. But Magus cited still other cases. She brought up the "Black Bloc" protesters at the 2010 G20 summit in Toronto. They caused extensive property damage, including upending police cars and smashing storefronts, but received comparatively light sentences of under two years. Magus said the fear and intimidation those protesters caused was "much more severe than in this case." She said her client should get an absolute discharge, which would allow him to walk free without any jail term or criminal record. "The sentence sought was excessive, abusive and would amount to cruel and unusual punishment," she said of the Crown submission. At the very least, she said Barber should be able to serve a conditional sentence in the community, not in prison. Magus quoted from character letters that described Barber as a pillar of his community in Swift Current, Sask., a responsible business owner with strong family ties. She said a criminal record will mean a big hit to his trucking business, since it will make it difficult for him to cross the border into the United States. She said there are also mitigating factors in how Barber handled the protest, such as his willingness to work with police to move some trucks from residential areas to Wellington Street. Perkins-McVey agreed that was a mitigating factor, though she noted that it only limited the protest, without ending it.
The Herald
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald
There'll be no shutdown on Friday — police
Police say they will not tolerate criminality and lawlessness in response to plans by a civil society organisation to protest at the Union Buildings on Friday in support of KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. National police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said there will not be a shutdown, and officers will enforce the law decisively if the protesters prohibit people's freedom of movement during the demonstrations. 'We w ill not tolerate any lawlessness and any form of criminality, whichever way it manifests itself,' said Mathe. Since the beginning of the week, there have been ongoing protests across the country in support of Mkhwanazi, who made explosive allegations against police minister Senzo Mchunu and deputy police commissioner for crime detection Gen Shadrack Sibiya, whom he accused of being in cahoots with criminals. Mchunu and Sibiya have since been placed on 'leave of absence'. Inwooners Baagi Civic Movement leader David Ratladi said they will stage a protest at the Union Buildings with 10 other organisations under the banner of 'Hands off Mkhwanazi'. 'We are tired, the president has failed us, we are on autopilot,' he said. 'We say the president should have recalled Mchunu like he did with DA deputy minister [Andrew Whitfield],' Ratladi said MK Party Gauteng leader Abel Tau said they will also stage a protest at the Union Buildings to demand that President Cyril Ramaphosa resign.
The Herald
16-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
Ward 34 winner must hit ground running, fix street lights — voters
Residents of Nelson Mandela Bay's Ward 34 want the new councillor elected after a crucial by-election on Wednesday to ensure broken street lights are repaired to stop rampant criminality. They were voicing their concerns at two of the four voting stations in the battleground northern areas ward as they waited to cast their ballots during special voting. The PA and the DA are seen as the front-runners in what is expected to be a hotly contested by-election described as a litmus test in the metro ahead of the 2026 local government polls. On Tuesday, Bethelsdorp, where the DA and PA established their operational centres, was abuzz with activity. Vehicles were covered in party stickers. Others blared loud music from speakers, creating a lively atmosphere. Outside the voting stations, parties such as the National Alliance, ANC and EFF set up gazebos, adding to the vibrant scene. Despite fielding a candidate to contest the ward, the PAC was absent. The ward became vacant after the death of DA councillor Johnny Arends in a car accident on the R75 in April. Arcadia resident Eric Gallant said he wanted the elected candidate to tackle some of the urgent service delivery issues in the area. 'The street lights that are not working deem our community unsafe. 'Now that it's winter, it gets dark earlier than usual, and it becomes unsafe to walk the streets,' Gallant said. 'Our other major issue is the overflowing sewerage drains, leading to our pothole-ridden streets being flooded by smelly water. 'All these issues were long reported, but nothing was done. 'I would send a message to the councillor, and he would read messages and not respond, so I hope the new person will be more in touch with the residents.' West End resident Jennifer Jacobs said street lights and poor road infrastructure were a big problem. 'The roads in Arcadia are in a bad state. 'Our other issue is darkness. There are street lights that have not been working for years. 'This makes our community a dangerous place. Previously, I could walk from my house to the nearby service station to buy electricity in the late afternoon, but I cannot now because it's unsafe. 'You can't see who's coming in front of you unless there's a car approaching.' DA provincial leader Andrew Whitfield said the party had run the best campaign to ensure it retained the ward. 'We've learnt a lot over a series of by-elections around the country, and we've put all that knowledge into practice. 'We're hoping for a win, and we're confident that we've done everything possible to achieve that result. 'We will do everything we can to defend Johnny Arends' legacy, and that starts with winning this ward.' Whitfield dismissed claims by political commentators predicting a PA victory in the ward, saying such analyses were often inaccurate. In the 2021 local government elections, the DA won the ward with 63.14% of the votes, followed by the National Alliance (17.12%) and PA (2.78%). The Herald
The Herald
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
Mkhwanazi's allegations must be given unwavering attention
Opinion Premium 15 July 2025 Just more than a week ago, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi dropped a bombshell when he alleged that police minister Senzo Mchunu, who has since been placed on leave by President Cyril Ramaphosa, was involved in criminality. According to Mkhwanazi, Mchunu is doing the bidding of a criminal syndicate which has infiltrated democratic institutions of our country, including the judiciary and other agencies of the criminal justice system...
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
El Salvador threatens to send gangs to France over prison criticism
El Salvador has threatened to send some of its most notorious criminals to France . Nayib Bukele, the Central American country's president issued the grim warning after a Paris Fashion Week show criticised the treatment of inmates at one of the nation's mega prisons. Responding to a post on X in which models wore white T-shirts and shorts - resembling uniforms worn by inmates at the Terrorism Confinement Centre - Bukele slammed the designer and accused Paris of 'glorifying criminals'. In his rant, he said: 'We're ready to ship them all to Paris whenever we get the green light from the French government. He followed that post with another showing a woman crying after being harassed in Paris. Bukele captioned: 'This is the result of glorifying criminals in Paris. He who spares the wolf sacrifices the sheep'. His second tweet caught the attention of X founder Elon Musk, who reposted in agreement. The leader's press secretary said Bukele's response demonstrated his 'firm stance against the attempt to glorify criminality'. In the fashion show by Willy Chavarria, a Mexican-American designer, 36 men wearing the attire made in collaboration with the American Civil Liberties Union walked down the ramp. They then fell on their knees and bowed their heads - a callback to pictures from the prison after the government announced it would be harsher on gangs. Some models also wore T-shirts with America written upside down. Some commentators noted it was a way to emphasise his belief that El Salvador was heading in the wrong direction. The designer's political messaging began even before the fashion show started - his invitations were styled to look like immigration summons. It asked readers to attend to witness a 'presentation of humanity'. For years, El Salvador has grappled with gang-related violence, which has left several people dead . The murders, kidnappings, and extortion committed by gangs like the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the 18th Street Gang have led to the nation's reputation as one of the most dangerous in the world. However, when President Bukele took over power in 2019, he made it one of his missions to fight organised crimes and gangs. As part of his efforts, he opened CECOT, which now houses some of the most hardened criminals in the country. But human rights advocates have criticised the prison for its treatment of its inmates - some have said inmates are forced to live in inhumane conditions. Thousands of suspected gang members have been hauled to the prison in a desperate move to get them off the streets. Unlike many other prisons, visitations and recreation are not allowed in CECOT. Inmates also do not have access to education. Each of the 256 cells in the prison, located in Tecoluca, has around 156 inmates who are forced to sleep in metal bunk beds with no mattress or sheets. The inmates are made to share just two toilets and two sinks. CCTV cameras monitor the cell around the clock, while an artificial bright light stays on throughout the day and night. If an inmate is unfortunate enough to be sent into solitary confinement, they are forced to stay in a narrow pitch black cell with only a small ceiling hole providing a source of light. The only time prisoners can leave their cells is when they have a court hearing, which is often via video link. Their diet consists mainly of beans or pasta, as the government has forbidden meat. Violence in prison is commonplace as members of rival gangs are forced to co-exist with each other. Many of the prisoners will never be freed as they are serving between 100 to 200 years.
