Dion Zabaneh Faces Environmental Charges

43 year old Dion Zabaneh and his mother, 76 year old Primrose Gabourel will stand trial for environmental charges in the Magistrate's Court. Three weeks ago, their attorney Emil Arguelles, argued to Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford that the Department of the Environment was charging them twice for the same offences. Well after consideration, the Magistrate did not uphold his argument and today she arraigned Zabaneh and Gabourel on 5 charges which included failure to sign an environmental compliance plan and failure to obtain an environmental compliance and 4 counts of failure to comply with oral instructions given by a designated officer. Zabaneh alone was charged assault of an officer ln the conduct of his duties. Only Zabaneh was present in court. Gabourel could not attend due to illness. Zabaneh pleaded not guilty to the charges and Arguelles pleaded not guilty on behalf of Gabourel. The ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment was represented by its legal counsel Jeavon Hulse. The case was adjourned until May 23.