The two defence counsel for drug accused Roger Khan are asking the US government to reveal whether investigations into cocaine importations from Guyana have identified any person or persons other than Khan who is referred to as ‘Shortman.’

This was important lawyers Diarmuid White and Robert Simels said in a letter to the case judge, Dora L Irizarry, because a review of recordings of the conversations of Devendra Persaud, whom the prosecution said Khan had murdered, showed there were a number of references to ‘Shortman.’

The lawyers said that the government would undoubtedly contend that the call name belonged to Khan and it was he who was being referred to in the conversations.

“Since Mr Persaud is deceased, the Government may seek to introduce recordings as to which no participant would testify regarding who ‘Shortman’ refers to, as is ordinarily the case,” the letter said, adding that it made it critical that the government provide the requested information.

According to the letter, although the court had previously denied the defendant’s motion which had sought to direct the government to provide such information before the Persaud tapes were provided, he also sought such information in one of his subpoenas to ICE Agent Gerald Handley and to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

“We write at this time to call the Court’s attention to the fact that the references on the Persaud tapes to ‘Shortman’ underscore the materiality of the information sought,” the letter said.

Khan is charged with 18 counts of conspiracy to import cocaine into the US between 2001 and 2006 and with heading a criminal enterprise. He is also charged with violating the narcotics laws of the US.