$20K bail for man accused of slapping Vlogger

January 9 2025

Man accused of slapping travel vlogger charged, granted $20,000 bai

A 29-year-old vendor was on Friday placed on $20,000 bail after he appeared before Chief Magistrate (ag) Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts in relation to the assault of an international travel vlogger near the La Penitence Market entrance earlier this month.

The accused, Kwesi McKay, of Lot 7 Fourth Street, Kingston, Georgetown, who works as a vendor at the corner of Water and Cowan Streets, Georgetown, was charged with two offences stemming from the January 5 incident.

McKay pleaded not guilty to a charge of using assaultive language on the said date at Saffon Street, La Penitence, towards Anthony D’Oliveira, conduct which police said was likely to cause a breach of the peace.

He also pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of unlawfully assaulting D’Oliveira at the same place and time.

In court, the prosecution objected to bail, citing public safety concerns.

The prosecutor told the court that D’Oliveira is a visitor to Guyana and a YouTuber and travel vlogger who was filming near the entrance of the La Penitence Market when he was unprovokedly slapped to the back of his head.

It was further alleged that after the slap, the accused verbally insulted the vlogger, including making offensive remarks about his mother.

The prosecution said the State intends to rely on video footage of the incident as well as an interview conducted with the virtual complainant to support its case.

When invited to address the court, McKay told the magistrate that he was at the La Penitence Market and had just emptied a bin when D’Oliveira approached the area with a camera and began filming him.

According to McKay, he told the vlogger on two occasions that he did not want to be recorded and asked that the camera not be placed in his face.

He said he then walked toward the market entrance, where he was in the company of another man who later appeared in the viral video.

McKay claimed that despite his objections, D’Oliveira continued pointing the camera at him, and it was at that moment that the portion of the interaction which later circulated on social media was recorded.

He maintained that he did not want to slap the vlogger but reacted after repeated filming despite his objections.

In responding, Magistrate McGusty noted that while no one has the right to assault another person, individuals should also be mindful when recording others without consent.

She remarked that in certain cultures, being recorded without permission is deeply offensive, noting that in some belief systems, cameras are viewed as instruments that can “steal one’s soul.”

However, the magistrate was clear that two wrongs do not make a right, and that regardless of the circumstances, the vlogger being a visitor did not entitle him to any special treatment, nor did it justify physical violence.

“If someone tells you not to record them, you should not continue pointing the camera in their face,” the magistrate stated, while reiterating that she did not condone the assault.

After considering the submissions, Magistrate McGusty granted McKay $10,000 bail on each charge, amounting to a total of $20,000. He was also placed on a bond to keep the peace.

The magistrate noted that the two men do not live near each other and are ordinarily based in different countries, and therefore saw no issue with bail being granted.

She cautioned McKay to avoid allowing himself to be provoked, adding that had he exercised restraint, the matter could have been avoided altogether.

The case was adjourned to January 20 for further proceedings.

This charge comes days after police issued a wanted bulletin for McKay for the incident.