-for denying CDC access
Days after he was allegedly flogged by supporters of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) senatorial candidate James P. Biney in Karluway, Electoral district #3, Maryland County, the Principal of the Karloken High School, Eusebio Towaye, has taken several supporters of the ruling Coalition before the Pleebo Magisterial Court.
Speaking on a community radio station on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 via mobile phone, Principal Towaye narrated the he was allegedly flogged by supporters of Mr. Biney because he [Towaye] refused to allow them access to a school building that had previously been booked by the National Elections Commission sub-office in the county.
According to him, a day before Mr. Biney’s supporters visited campus of the Karloken High School, asking to use the school auditorium for a ceremony to donate a power-saw to residents of Karloken, the National Elections Commission had already arranged for the building.
He explained that since the NEC had already booked the building for exhibition purpose, he refused to allow politicians to use the school facility. Principal Towaye continued that his refusal to allow the CDC supporters to use the building led to his alleged flogging.
He said though the NEC had arranged for the building, he had no plan to allow politicians hold rally on his campus because policy from the Ministry of Education forbids school premises to be used for political meetings especially, while academic activities are in progress.
He recalled that on early Tuesday morning, the National Elections Commission Maryland office contacted him to use the school campus for its recent voters exhibition exercise, but to his utmost surprise, Mr. Biney’s supporters had gathered on the school campus.
He said the situation couldn’t have led to a fist-fight but the Biney’s supporters decided to forcibly use the building when he had refused and decided to lock the doors of the school building. Principal Towaye disclosed that his refusal led the CDC to term his action as being biased and supportive of the opposition.
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However, he clarified that since his appointment as Principal for the Karloken High School; he had never allowed political parties to use the premises for rallies contrary to claim by the CDC supporters.
He said action was not on the basis of favoritism for any particular candidate or party, but to protect the image of the school and the Ministry, knowing the policy of the Ministry of Education.
He said the ruling party supporters, who allegedly flogged him, also threatened that he would lose his job saying, “You don’t know that we are the ruling party and you are refusing for us to use the school building?”
“Let me say to you, I was not only threatened of job dismissal, but my name was removed from the exhibition process that I had applied for”, he added.
Principal Towaye: “So taking the case to court, wasn’t only because I was flogged by supporters of the ruling party candidate but to also seek proper justice, seeing how was flogged and being threatened.”
However, when asked whether he has gotten support from residents of the district or the Ministry of Education on his decision to take the case to court, he said the decision was reached in consultation with his family.
“As I speak to you now on this radio, the case has been registered and I was asked to bring my lawyers, if I wanted to.”
Defending his action, he said, “I am prepared, because I can’t be with the government as an employee and be treated by some supporters of the government just because I am protecting the good image of the Ministry that works directly under the government.”
Meanwhile, George Tambagbess, Discrepancy Officer in the office of Speaker Bhofal Chambers and a supporter of senatorial candidate James P. Biney, who witnessed the situation between Principal Towaye and his colleagues in district#3, Maryland County, described the allegations fake and misleading.
According to him, the situation which resulted to fist-fight between Biney’s supporters and the school principal was allegedly masterminded by some supporters of Maryland County Senator Dan Morais, who is seeking reelection.
Mr. Tambagbess narrated that it all started when they got at the school campus early Tuesday morning to use the school building to donate a power-saw to residents of the district, who had asked Mr. Biney to provide them a power-saw.
He said when they got to the school building, it wasn’t in use, as claimed by Principal Towaye, so they decided arranging for the building to use it for their donation purpose.
Tambagbess said to their surprise, the Principal refused and decided to lock doors of the school, but they couldn’t allow it because they noticed his action was something planned by the opposition, who decided to damage image of the ruling CDC.
But despite the denial, information gathered by this paper corroborates that indeed, Principal Towaye was allegedly assaulted by supporters of the ruling party candidate Jame Biney.
By Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland–Editing by Jonathan Browne
