The mayor of Spanish Town and People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for St Elizabeth South East, Norman Scott, is set to face the court after being charged in relation to a disturbance at a polling station on election day.
The 66-year-old, who resides in both the Spanish Town area of St Catherine and St Elizabeth’s Gazeland community, has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and malicious destruction of property. The charges stem from an incident that unfolded at a polling station in St Elizabeth around midday.
Scott reportedly went to the polling station in St Elizabeth and stayed longer than the period allowed for candidates, according to the Black River police.
A dispute ensued when an election agent informed Scott that his allotted time at the polling station had ended. According to the police report, the tension prompted another agent to attempt to ease the situation, but the second agent was allegedly hit in the face by Scott. After the alleged assault, Scott’s security team stepped in and removed him from the location.
The incident was officially brought to the attention of the Black River police, who began an investigation into what occurred that day. After completing their enquiries, the authorities issued summonses for the two charges and formally served them on Scott today.
The mayor is now set to appear before the St Elizabeth Parish Court on Monday, October 13. The incident has stirred discussion online, with social media users calling for the politician to take accountability for his actions. The case’s resolution could have significant implications for Scott, affecting him both in legal terms and within the political arena.
In an interview on the day of the election, Scott indicated that he was swarmed by a crowd that protested his entering the polling station. He said that he was shaking them off him, and he later heard that someone had been hit.
