Two others charged in latest Rowe altercation; politician says he was attacked first

Two additional individuals have been charged in connection with the latest assault case involving former People’s National Party (PNP) caretaker-turned-Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporter Lawrence Rowe.

Superintendent Beresford Williams, head of the Kingston Central Police Division, confirmed Thursday morning that 40-year-old Winston Davis and 66-year-old Elver Barnaby were arrested and charged yesterday, after the police confirmed a charge against Rowe.

They were charged with assault arising from the July 12 altercation in the vicinity of the Simon Bolivar Statue near National Heroes Circle. They were granted bail.

Rowe, 37, was hit with a similar charge on July 18, following a complaint by the woman. Police say he allegedly pushed the woman, causing her to fall and injure her right knee.

Rowe has maintained that he was attacked first during the confrontation, as he and two female friends were walking to a shop, according to his police complaint statement dated July 18.

The police say Rowe complained that while he was in a dispute with the woman, Davis intervened by grabbing his hand. During that episode, Davis' fingernail reportedly scraped Rowe, causing a wound that bled.

Davis was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm.

The police say the elderly woman was charged with common assault against Rowe. It's alleged that the politician and the woman got into a verbal altercation which turned physical after the woman allegedly splashed water from a bottle into Rowe's face.

In his statement, Rowe alleged that during one of the woman's attempts to splash the water, he pushed her hand away, causing her to lose balance and fall to the ground.

All three are to appear in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on July 31.

This marks the second time Rowe has been charged in less than two months.

On June 2, Rowe was charged with assault at common law following the circulation of a viral video that showed him confronting a man with a knife. In the video, which sparked public backlash, Rowe was seen with a knife held behind his back, approaching another man and saying, “Do what you need fi do 'cause you bad.”

The man later filed a complaint with the police, prompting the initial charge. Rowe was granted station bail.

The charges come in the wake of Rowe’s departure from the PNP after he was ousted as the party’s standard-bearer in Kingston Central and replaced by retired senior police officer Steve McGregor.

He has since joined the JLP and was a featured speaker at a party rally in the constituency on Sunday.

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