A Trinidadian court has placed a social media user on a three-year bond after she pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in a TikTok video. Alianna Samaroo, 30, from Arouca, received judicial leniency despite admitting to criminal charges under the Emergency Powers Regulations 2025.
The Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court heard how Samaroo, operating under the username ‘alianna265’, directly addressed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in her October 30 post, urging him to execute Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar and members of her Cabinet. The video sparked immediate police investigation and led to her arrest at a Chaguanas apartment following seven days of detention.
Magistrate Marissa Gomez imposed a $20,000 peace bond requiring Samaroo to maintain good behavior for thirty-six months. The court stipulated that no conviction would be recorded upon successful completion of the bond period, though any violation would result in immediate sentencing proceedings.
During proceedings, the mother of two delivered a comprehensive apology to both the Prime Minister and the court. ‘I admit that what I said was wrong,’ Samaroo stated. ‘I did not think about how serious those words were before I spoke.’ She expressed shame for her actions and emphasized that she never intended to cause harm or incite violence.
The case has highlighted increased police monitoring of online activity. Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro issued a stark warning that social media users making threats would face prosecution regardless of free speech claims. ‘Freedom of expression is a right,’ Guevarro stated, ‘but that freedom ends where criminal conduct begins.’
This incident represents one of several recent cases involving online threats against public officials. Opposition Senator Dr. Amery Browne recently reported similar threats via Facebook, resulting in multiple charges against the perpetrator. Additionally, authorities arrested a Diego Martin woman in November for allegedly inciting violence against the Prime Minister in separate social media content.
Samaroo’s legal representation, attorneys Roshni Balkaran and Shiva Boodoo, secured her release on $50,000 bail prior to sentencing. Her mother, Elizabeth Vasquez-Rosales, publicly appealed for forgiveness while expressing hope that the experience would teach her daughter respect for national institutions.