Politician charged with buggery
Principal of Tacky High School, Errol Bascoe, has been charged with buggery. The 56-year-old was up to last Friday, the standard bearer for the People’s National Party in St Mary Western.
In a media release last night, the Corporate Communications Unit of the Jamaica Constabulary Force said that Bascoe, of Gayle Spring, Gayle, St Mary, was charged with buggery following an incident at his home on Thursday, February 29.
Reports from the Port Maria police are that about 11 p.m., the complainant visited a friend who was staying at Bascoe’s premises. Upon Bascoe’s return, he spoke briefly to the complainant before he sexually assaulted him. A report was made to the police who commenced an investigation.
Bascoe was subsequently arrested and charged. He is schedule to appear before the St Mary Parish Court on Thursday.
Section 76 of the Offences Against the Person Act makes it a criminal offence for persons to engage in “unnatural” sexual acts. The law states: “Whosoever shall be convicted of the abominable crime of buggery, committed either with mankind or with any animal, shall be liable to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for a term not exceeding 10 years”.
Last Friday, in a letter to PNP president Mark Golding, Bascoe tendered his resignation as PNP representative for St Mary Western. He said that he resigned from the political position with a “heavy heart” in order to clear his name after disturbing allegations surfaced last week.
“A recent scurrilous and malicious allegation has been levelled against me, which I vehemently deny. I am innocent of this false accusation, and I am confident that the truth will prevail in due course,” Bascoe said in his letter to Golding.
He said that the decision would allow him to focus his full attention to “addressing this matter and clearing my good name”.
Generation 2000 (G2K), the young professional affiliate of the Jamaica Labour Party, has called on Errol Bascoe to immediately resign from his position as principal of the Tacky High School amid damning allegations.
“It is deeply troubling that Mr Bascoe, while prioritising the reputation of the PNP, has failed to extend the same level of concern for the reputation and well-being of Tacky High School, the educational institution he serves as principal. As guardians of the interests of students and the community, school administrators must uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability in education,” G2K said.
“A recent scurrilous and malicious allegation has been levelled against me, which I vehemently deny. I am innocent of this false accusation, and I am confident that the truth will prevail in due course.”