Scrubb free to travel back to US, but to return for January 26, 2017 court date

PAUL ‘IMADD’ SCRUBB’s travel doc- uments were returned to him yester- day, after he had been barred from returning to the United States in July.{{more}}

A Vincentian, Scrubb has resided in the United States for over 20 years, and was in July arrested and prevent- ed from leaving St Vincent and the Grenadines, after he was charged with uttering seditious words.

He faces two charges that he, between December 9 and 31, 2015, uttered seditious words and that he maliciously sent or uttered threats to kill, to wit: “Ralph Gonsalves should be assassinated, also his whole damn family period. Blessed Love.”

The statement was allegedly made on Facebook around the time of the December 2015 general elections.

At the Serious Offences Court on Monday, the order was given that the stop notices that had been placed at all ports of exit were to be removed and Scrubb’s travel documents were to be returned.

The court also waived Scrubb’s reporting conditions, but his $25,000 bail with one surety remains intact.

The calypsonian is expected to return to court on January 26, 2017 and is represented by lawyers Israel Bruce and Shirlan ‘Zita’ Barnwell.

Under Vincentian law, threats to murder carry a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, while utter- ing seditious words carries a maximum sentence of five years. (AS)