Men were not in vehicle – lawyer
PNCR urges Police Commissioner to do his duty
Stabroek News
December 14, 2002
One of the lawyers representing the men in the controversial arms find on the East Coast Demerara last week is refuting allegations that the trio was found in the pick-up vehicle.
“It has not as yet been verified exactly who was in the vehicle and how many persons were in the vehicle, or whether the vehicle was in motion at the time. My instructions were that the persons were not in the vehicle. The vehicle has two seats [and] it was at rest,” the lawyer told Stabroek News during a telephone interview.
There has been a public outcry over the delay by the police in charging the men given the facts surrounding the case. Following habeas corpus proceedings before a High Court judge this week, the men were ordered released on $500,000 bail each after the police failed to charge them.
At about 10:45 pm last week Wednesday, a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) patrol said it “observed and apprehended a suspicious looking vehicle within the Good Hope Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara.” The Joint Services release also stated that the three occupants of the vehicle, GHH 7539, were questioned and, based on the answers given, the vehicle was searched and a quantity of arms, ammunition and other items were found.
That led to the arrests of policeman Sean Belfield and two other men - Shaheed Khan and Haroon Gahya - that same night. Two other persons - Christopher Small and Rajesh Sahadeo - were subsequently arrested.
The men’s lawyer told this newspaper yesterday that his clients are “around” and waiting on the police to institute charges. Police and army sources told Stabroek News on Thursday that statements given by the soldiers are being “refined” before any charges can be brought.
“This thing of fine-tuning of statements is worrying,” the lawyer said. He further contended that on the night of the apprehension, “the army came and spoke to two of the men while they were standing on the road...some distance away from the vehicle.” The lawyer said the vehicle was parked in front of a house in the housing scheme and that the third man was not around at the time the other two were being questioned by the patrol.
The arrests have raised a number of concerns, especially with the discovery of a laptop computer that was programmed to track the location of cellular phone users. Intelligence sources also retrieved a list of names and cellular telephone numbers of wanted men and other persons.
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), in a release yesterday, said it is not amused at the “charade which is being played out” in connection with the five men who were implicated in the scandal. The party is also accusing the administration of an attempt to cover up the case. “PNCR does not intend to stand idly by and allow the PPP/C (People’s Progressive Party/Civic) regime to cover up this crime which has such grave implications for the rule of law, the safety of citizens and national security. We therefore call upon the acting Commissioner of Police (Floyd McDonald) to be mindful of his oath of office. He must show sufficient backbone and professional integrity to discharge his statutory and constitutional responsibility without fear or favour and have the men charged in accordance with the advice given by the lawyers in the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) Chambers,” the party’s release stated.
Among the other items found were a town plan of Georgetown, at least two high-powered assault rifles fitted with telescopic lenses, two Glock pistols and other hand guns, as well as two bulletproof vests, a 12-gauge pump rifle, a submachine gun, one police identification card issued to Belfield, two camouflage caps and two helmets and a large quantity of varying calibre ammunition. The pick-up also carried bullet-proof glass.
