A mechanism is in place for Guyana to garner information from the US on that country’s investigation into the workings of convicted drug trafficker Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan.
Roger Khan
Guyana and the US are both signatories to a multilateral treaty — the Inter-American Convention of Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters — which sets out the procedure that should be followed when signing states are requesting information from each other on criminal matters.
US authorities had said that Khan was a principal player in the drug trade in Guyana and the key supplier of a Guyanese drug trafficking organisation based in Queens, New York which is said to have distributed hundreds of kilos of cocaine in a two-month period during the spring of 2003.
Following Khan’s sentencing to 15 years in federal prison on October 16, Commissioner of Police Henry Greene told reporters that the local police hoped to get the evidence from his case from US authorities. Greene said that the police had earlier communicated with the US embassy about access to evidence used in the US court, but had been told that they had to wait until the trial was completed.
However, according to the Organisation of American States (OAS) treaty, the US has designated the Office of International Affairs of the Criminal Division of the United States Department of Justice as the authority to contact whenever states are requesting information on criminal matters.
Guyana signed the treaty in 2006 and ratified it last year, but does not state its designated authority for requesting information on criminal matters. Of the 25 OAS member states that have signed and ratified the treaty, ten have listed either their Ministry of Home Affairs or Ministry of Foreign Affairs or equivalent as the designated authority.
Contacted, Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett told Stabroek News that the Ministry of Home Affairs has been designated to make and receive such requests. Therefore, a request for information from the US authorities would have to be made by Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee to the US Justice Department and not to the US Embassy.
According to the treaty, the central authority is responsible for issuing and receiving requests for assistance and shall communicate directly with others for all purposes.
According to Chapter 4, Article 24 of the treaty, when a request is made in accordance with the domestic procedure of the state from which the request is made, that state shall make available to the requesting state a copy of the public documents, records, or information held by the government agencies or departments of the requested state.
“The requested state may make available copies of any document, record, or other information held by a government agency or department of that state that is not public in nature, to the same extent as and subject to the same conditions under which they would be made available to its own judicial authorities or to others responsible for application of the law. The requested state, at its own discretion, may deny, in whole or in part, any request made under the provisions of this paragraph,” the treaty said.
By signing the treaty the countries undertook to render to one another mutual assistance in investigations, prosecutions, and proceedings that pertain to crimes over which the requesting state has jurisdiction at the time the assistance is requested.
However, the convention does not authorize any state party to undertake, in the territory of another state party, the exercise of jurisdiction or the performance of functions that are placed within the exclusive purview of the authorities of that other party by its domestic law.
The convention applies solely to the provision of mutual assistance among state parties. Its provisions shall not create any right on the part of any private person to obtain or exclude any evidence or to impede execution of any request for assistance.
President Bharrat Jagdeo has refused to accede to the call of the opposition parties for an inquiry into Khan’s activities in Guyana, but has said that the Guyana Police Force is the authority to investigate any criminal offences Khan may have committed in Guyana.
And on Tuesday last, the police announced that they would investigate the murders connected to Khan and Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins and any other gang-related murders and asked members of the public and groups to contact the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) with any information they have on those murders.
Khan has been accused of having links to the government and creating havoc as head of the violent ‘Phantom Squad’, which is said to be responsible for a number of unsolved deaths here. US authorities have said that according to witnesses, Khan was responsible for the murders of Ronald Waddell, Donald Alison and Dave Persaud, among others.
Greene said last week that while the police have files on the murders of Waddell and Allison they have no evidence.
It is not like the government doesn’t know about the mechanism; it is more like the government prefers to drag its feet as much as possible so it can add as much wet and heavy mud, like the Fineman crimes, to make it difficult for its own probe to go forward.
I say, let the police start with the sworn statements of Vaughn in New York, and go forward from there. Send three police officers from Guyana (who won’t abscond) to question Vaughn in the presence of representatives of the US justice system, and based on that information, the police can then start making out a case against both Vaughn and Khan, because Khan has already pleaded guilty to exporting cocaine from Guyana, which is a crime in Guyana, and Vaughn confessed he was in the getaway car involved in the Waddell killing, making him an accomplice and conspirator.
Is it not ironic that despite Khan’s guilty plea to smuggling cocaine from Guyana that the government has still not asked the GRA to probe Khan’s business holdings in Guyana?
I also don’t see the value in probing the Fineman killings, because the goverment made sure it had Fineman (and Skinny) killed given the $50M bounty so these two, who apparently worked for Khan at some point, rather than bring them to trial so they can spill the beans on certain people. Look how easy it was for Skinny to escape Sparendaam Police while being held on the Sash Sawh murders, only to wind up with Fineman and then dying together in a hail of bullets. And many think Fineman and Skinny worked alone!
Like Luncheon said, there was one group of Phantom killers and another group of basic criminals in 2002, but what we have since learned is that the Phantom Group also contained basic criminal elements, thus pitting criminal gangs against each other.
Dandy Andy, I posted my blog without reading other blogs, ur fourth paragraph is definately on the head, like I said after this RK case was concluded, government never wanted fineman, skinny and the rest caught alive, they had all the informations and knew 2 much, so they and others were taken out.
I was in Guyana the same day the jail break occurred, standing by the gardens watching the floats, since then I returned only twice, things real bad there now, glad to return for vacation, but dem criminals gat me afraid, good blog keep it up.
The more complicated you try to get,by writing nothing of any worth,the less efficient you get.You appear to be confused by your own shortcomings and expectations, and what exactly should be your topic.
Re: “I say, let the police start with the sworn statements of Vaughn in New York, and go forward from there. Send three police officers from Guyana (who won’t abscond) to question Vaughn in the presence of representatives of the US justice system, and based on that information, the police can then start making out a case against both Vaughn and Khan, because Khan has already pleaded guilty to exporting cocaine from Guyana, which is a crime in Guyana, and Vaughn confessed he was in the getaway car involved in the Waddell killing, making him an accomplice and conspirator….”
They do not have to travel to the United States of America “Dandy Andy”; as, all the evidence taking can be done over internet through “Real-Time Video Conferencing” (a picture is worth a thousand words on a “tape”; and, It is supposed you get the “tape drift”… They can save the foreign exchange that would be involved to purchase needy items for the poor people in Guyana.
The PPP has no interest in developing the Armed Forces into a body with professional standards.
To do so would run the risk of having them go independant. It best serves the PPP to have the Armed Forces incohisive, underfunded, underdeveloped and underpayed so as to keep them under control.
Re: “The more complicated you try to get,by writing nothing of any worth,the less efficient you get.You appear to be confused by your own shortcomings and expectations, and what exactly should be your topic….”
His topic should be nothing less than that which is being attempted to be achieved in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, Iran….; and, in the cases of those countries mentioned – it is meant the disruption of another 9/11 plot; and, in the case of Guyana attempting to keep the sanity (free from the scourge of illicit drugs, unlawful killings….) of members of families in both the United States of America and Guyana.
From the foregoing… Do you think that there is need for rocket science to be applied in these circumstances? The majority reading and commenting here (it is assumed) would not think so.
Re: “From the foregoing… Do you think that there is need for rocket science to be applied in these circumstances? The majority reading and commenting here (it is assumed) would not think so….”
BTW, I should have added: With some reflections on the contents of the “Purest Of Perfection” by the late L. F. S. Burnham it is understandable for you to have gone the way you did unlike the way trained NASA Astronauts would be able to demonstrate.
Green is a waste of a Commissioner…..I don’t know how he ended up with 2 more years as head of the force.
HE GOT TWO MORE YEARS BECAUSE HE IS HONEST AND DOES NOT DEAL WITH CREDIT CARDS.
“Credit Cards” are not the issue here “lambada”; and, the spreading poison (illegal substances) that disrupt the lives of the American and Guyanese families (resulting also in the deaths of hundreds of lives lost in Guyana) happen to be the focus of this discussion unless this is an indication that you may have missed you medication for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) today.
As they say – “What Happens in Vegas Stays In Vegas”… then “What Happens At Sandhurst College… Should Stay At Sandhurst College”. And, this privileged Stabroek News (SN) Forum is not Tora Bora.
You mean honest that he visa get tek away??????
Great answer SF.
So far the Guyana Govt has refused to turn over any criminal (drug dealer or other) to the US Justice Dept. Why should the US take this kangaroo govt serious about anything.
And did I read right or did Greene made his request to the US embassy instead of to The Justice Dept for the information and is the US Justice Dept without the background information to give this Guyana Govt exactly what they (the US) wants them to have and then either sit back and wait for their reaction or stand and laugh their heads off at this charade?
Next Question: Given that the US revoked Greene’s visa, for whatever reason(s) they stated or did not state, how likely it is that the US is going to plunk down any serious evidence into Greene’s hands?
My guess is…not likely, not by a long shot. He gets what the US wants him to get, so this entire process of the Guyana Police investigating itself, is one, big, fat joke!
Joint Opposition, please get your dossier into the right hands and in a hurry. It would be an uphill struggle but there are enough overseas Guyanese like myself who would work tirelessly to see the process advance from there.
The U.S. government should not give any information about Roger Khan and his co-conspirators in Guyana. These people will use such information to neutralize those named and Guyanese will never learn the full story behind phantom squad.
“The requested state may make available copies of any document, record, or other information held by a government agency or department of that state that is not public in nature, to the same extent as and subject to the same conditions under which they would be made available to its own judicial authorities or to others responsible for application of the law.
I hope the U.S.A. enforces the “may” condition of this clause and wait for the next law abiding government to turn over any information.
“The requested state, at its own discretion, may deny, in whole or in part, any request made under the provisions of this paragraph,” the treaty said.
Once more the operative word id “may” which is much different from “must.”
Bora, ur first para: is darn right, US should never give any information/s they have, dead men tells no tales.
the should give it the phencee and afeecee, they can do the investigation.
GUYANA NEEDS ACCESS TO EVIDENCE? SURELY THEY DON’T MEAN THE EVIDENCE THAT IS RIGHT THERE? OBVIOUSLY THE GOVERNMENT THINKS THAT WE ARE ALL STUPID, SO THEY CONTINUE TO FEED US LIES AND EXPECT US TO BELIEVE. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE US LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION (IF THEY HAVEN’T ALREADY — BY LAW) INTO THE RUNNINGS AND RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ROGER KHAN AND THE HOT SHOT FOLKS. THEY SHOULD ALL BE WORRIED. SHOW OF HANDS, ALL THOSE IN POWER WHO DID NOT BENEFIT FINANCIALLY FROM THIS CONVICTED DRUG LORD KHAN’S “BUSINESS VENTURES”. PERHAPS WE CAN START WITH THE FOREIGN CURRENCY THEY CONTINUE TO ACCUMULATE IN A COUNTRY WHERE THEY ARE PAID IN LOCAL CURRENCY. THIS COUNTRY IS SUCH A JOKE — AND THE LAUGHS JUST KEEP GETTING BETTER!!
YAWnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn:
Big brother will only give you what big brother wants you to see:
Then again big brother may not give you anything at all period:
Just like how they have all the info on this report but not giving:
Read:Read:Read:
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/10/200910224044179743.html
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwnnnn, big brother have sense.
EE
When George Bush (Senior) gave that speech about a “one world Government” or a “New World Order,” what exactly was he taking about?
Anyway, now we’ve got this “mechanism” ting in place to help Guyanese authorities probe RK and the so called Phantom’s activities. I wonder if this is the same tool that provided intel about Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq…
As it turned out there were no nukes, Saddam is dead and now we’ve got democracy in Iraq…right?
What’s happening in GT? Big brother says to investigate Phantoms but what about the “Taliban” Smiles spoke of? Organized home grown terrorist that kill innocent people. Shouldn’t this also be a top priority in the “war on terror”?
Re: “What’s happening in GT? Big brother says to investigate Phantoms but what about the “Taliban” Smiles spoke of? Organized home grown terrorist that kill innocent people. Shouldn’t this also be a top priority in the “war on terror”?…”
Ya talking about “Iraq” (that invaded Kuwait; and, haven’t you thought about something called unfinished business….) Also, where you on 9/11 so much so that you are still around to attempt to equate the situation in Afghanistan to that in Guyana. So, in your Military Intelligence…. how about telling the world for whom the U. S. Fourth Fleet has set sail if not for the so-called Guyanese Freedom Fighters.
Re: “Navy Reestablishes U.S. 4th Fleet”
http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=36606
Re: “U.S. 4th Fleet Officially Re-established”
http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=38366
Re: “U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release”
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=11862
Remember this…. “For whom the bell tolls… it tolls for thee”!
I should have added: And, some adventurous “Guyanese” have not learned anything whatsoever from “Operation Just Cause”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_invasion_of_Panama
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/just_cause.htm
KG
your blogs always make me laugh…I wonder if you are still
here on earth.
Yo “RodRick (dis is one bias newspaper)”! Two particular things I would like to do (and, I am quite sure that there are many others) and, these are as follows: (1) Jumping at 25,000 feet; and, ((2) Be the Chief Consultant (note the flag of allegiance) at the L. F. S. Burnham Space Center. But, the way things have gone backwards in Guyana during the last seventeen (17) years… you can understand the disappointment. If these are the “heights” you are talking about then you can have “coke heads” fly you and your family the next time you fly across the Atlantic Ocean; or, if you prefer you can have the ones that flew past their designated airport by 150 miles. Now, these are cool extra-terrestrial things for you to talk about, aren’t they!
Re: “the L. F. S. Burnham Space Center….”
Was it “you” that shot down the “Beal Deal”…. for your preference?
I wonder if the US Justice Department would be willing to hand over sensitive info to a guy who had his visa revoked.
SWAT, Your right. Both Greene and Clement Rohee.
Swat, I 4 got this one, the commish visa was revoked, naw, this Government won’t give that, I hope they don’t, thanks 4 reminding me, he can’t even come near the waters here, stay ur behind there Green, we don’t want u to use ur bad judgements here.
Evileyes, You and I both know that, Uncle Sam only gives to receives, like the 15 yrs RK received, he sang because he was given a lesser sentence.
Aahhhh…de visa story. Don’t give visas to those who refuse to serve your plans. Does Felix de Cat still have his visa after those tapes allegedly linked to him were sent out a few years ago? You know, many are still waiting to hear if those voices are authentic; what’s taking so long?
It is quite evident that they are confused. Greene SAYIN Foolice cummunicated with US embassy for info. while Rohee is the authorised to gather such information…Does these DEVOTEES and the world at large needs more proof of the IGNORANCE of these INCAPABLE/INCOMPETENT WASTES that are posing as Government officials.CAN’T BLAME THEM because if there is NOW LAW one cannot expect these PARACITES to follow or work accordingly.
INFORMATION GIVEN TO RO-HEEE???????? TANTE SEH GIV HAFF AN LEFF HAFF BE-KAZ HE PROVOKE YAÁL AN YAÁL REVOKE É VISA
The U.S. will give information to Guyana, but none of it will be on the cooperating witnesses in the Roger Khan and other cases against other Guyanese who must be shaking in their boots and wetting their beds at night.
By the way, we all know that this so-called probe is nothing but a sham. However, I applaud SN for pointing out that the GOG can obtain the information if it really wants to.
Let’s see if Clement Rohee has the courage to apply for the information.
Let us not forget that this man was and is an associate of the PPP government. Let that picture sink into your minds as to whom our government keep in their company.
These criminal activiies occurred in Guyana, with exceptions to the others he was charged for while he was here, which were never tried, because he jumped ship to Guyana, while awaiting trial.
The commissioner Mr. Greene asking for evidence from the Embassy, instead of US courts, he is a joker,he needs to request what he needs, from the Guyana Government, since they r aware of all RK’s drug deals,killings and spy equiptments dealings, this is to examine informations of names, and government employees, who were associated with RK, after he (RK) sang better than a bird, their behind are biting them now, because names, associates, transactions, addresses, and tapes are in the hands of the US Justice system data base.
Jagdeo opened his mouth and story jumped out, he promised that he had tapes on meetings held in Buxton, up to present, he either cannot/would not bring those tapes to forefront.
Uncle Sam have their own bad eggs, who deals with worst criminals than Guyana, one don’t hear much of it, they smoke and sell their dealdly drugs right on the streets, if they are caught, they pay, but when it comes to another Country,running drug deals here, they hunt you down like a killer animal, they don’t let up, trust me, lived here nearly 30yrs.
I do agree with SH that it is a bluff, just imagine Roger Khan admitted in a NY court to shippin over 150 kilos of cocaine & the GOG r asking for info from citizens to start an investigation, Mr Greene, Mr hee haw the evidence is in ur face, why the US gov have to give u info, was this guy {RK} living in T&T, Barbados when he was doin his shippin ”NO” he was in GY, where there is drugs there is guns & lives will taken for u to turn the ”King Pin” and that’s what RK did, shortman, bossman.
and still have the very basic ideas…
Cherry. Open your eyes.Nobody said it is as you or other cronies suggest.You have to be carefull here when you blindly follow losers. A small minority of these losers are collaborating and do not represent Guyana nor it’s people.