Dean Jonas

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Former member of Parliament Dean Jonas will have to wait another two months before his case could begin. His new trial date is June 12.

The matter which was expected to be heard on Monday could not get underway after claims that the keys to the St Johns Magistrate’s Court were misplaced.

The former Minister of Social Transformation and Gender Affairs is charged with resisting arrest, making use of threatening language, disorderly conduct, assault, and battery after an incident that occurred at his Scott’s Hill home on February 23.

The matter stems from a domestic dispute recently which was captured on video.

In the video, Jonas is seen walking toward a police car as it pulls into his driveway.

Jonas greeted the officer who then explained why he was at Jonas’s home. It had to do with a legal matter concerning the custody of Jonas’s son, with another woman other than his wife.

Jonas then asked the officer to leave. He could be seen pleading with the officers, to get off his property.

After a verbal argument that lasted over one minute, a physical tussle ensued between Jonas and the officer who identified himself as Corporal Jason Joseph. Jonas was later arrested and charged.

Jonas has said that during the encounter, Corporal Joseph demanded that he release his child to him, without any prior notice or an order from the court.

Jonas said when questioned about the legal authority under which he should comply with the officer’s demands, he was not presented with any such document.

According to Jonas, he considered the officer’s demand to be an attack on his family and refused to comply with the instructions given, which he deemed unlawful.

He said despite repeatedly and loudly instructing the officers to leave his private premises, he was forcibly arrested for protecting the welfare of his family.

Jonas says he believes that this kind of conduct, which resulted in him sustaining various injuries at the hands of the police is reflective of societal attitudes towards fathers and their custodial rights, who are often not given the same level of legal protection as mothers.

He is taking legal action against the officer and the police commissioner