Columbus Ward 5 City Councilman Kabir Karriem was arrested Monday for his role in the physical altercation he had with Mayor Robert Smith on Thursday.
Only hours after he apologized for the incident and accused Smith of using intimidation to run City Hall, Karriem turned himself in at 3:45 p.m. at the Lowndes County Sheriff”s Office. The mayor filed simple assault charges against Karriem.
“I would say it would have been in the best interest of the city for neither one of us to have filed charges,” Smith acknowledged this morning. He declined further comment. Justice Court records show neither man has employed an attorney yet.
“It”s an unfortunate situation,” Karriem said, this morning. “Hopefully, at some point we could move forward. I thought yesterday, when I apologized to him, I thought it was over with.”
“It is what it is and we just have to see how it plays out,” he responded, when asked if it would have been better for the city for neither man to file charges. “It”s an unfortunate situation and I”m deeply sorry it happened.”
Smith turned himself into the sheriff”s office Friday evening, after Karriem filed an arrest affidavit for simple assault against the mayor.
Karriem was released on $250 bond; both men face preliminary hearings on the misdemeanor charges April 27.
The two men, who are political rivals, were arguing over an agenda item for the next City Council meeting regarding matching funds for the renovation of the old Highway 82 bridge near the Riverwalk. The argument turned physical, with Karriem alleging that he did not provoke the fight.
The men were arguing over Karriem”s placing discussion of the bridge on the agenda without the mayor”s knowledge.
After the incident, Karriem was treated and released from Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle for injuries sustained during the fight.
“I had heard legends of Robert but had never experienced it,” Karriem said Monday of rumors Smith has a temper.
Monday, Smith issued a written apology for his part in the Thursday altercation, and Karriem held a press conference at the Municipal Complex to “apologize” and to set the record straight.
“I would like to take this time to offer a sincere apology to my family, my friends and fellow council members, and especially to the citizens of Columbus for the event that took place at City Hall on Thursday night,” Smith wrote in a prepared statement e-mailed Monday morning. “The event that occurred that night was truly unfortunate and I deeply regret that this has happened.”
Karriem said he called a press conference to “apologize to the citizens of Columbus and Lowndes County, especially the good people in Ward 5, my fellow council members, Mayor Smith, family, supporters and friends for an unfortunate and regrettable situation.”
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