Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan did not pass an order to bar media operatives from entering the Wales Magistrate’s Court last Friday, a legal source reported yesterday.
Last Friday police had asked a Stabroek News reporter, and later, other media operatives to leave the court/Wales Police Station compound saying that Magistrate Mc Lennan had ordered that media representatives not enter her courtroom.
Efforts made to contact Mc Lennan for a comment were futile, but the source, who did not want to be named, informed Stabroek News that the magistrate had stated that she had never said the media should be denied entry to the courtroom.
Meanwhile, another senior legal source explained to this newspaper that neither the magistrate nor the police have the right to bar the media from entering the courtroom when a murder charge is being read. The Laws of Guyana, the source stressed, makes certain provisions about in-camera matters like carnal knowledge cases not being heard by the media and puts limits to what information from a preliminary inquiry can be published (Section 63, Chapter 10:01 of the Criminal Procedure Act). However, there is no provision which says that the media must be prevented from entering the courtroom during a case which is deemed as being of public interest.
Addressing the fact that the Stabroek News reporter and later other media representatives were forced to stand in the constant drizzle of rain for several hours, the senior legal source said that it was unethical and “doesn’t say much for the code of ethics followed by the Guyana Police Force”.
Pamela De Santos, who represented the murder accused Deonarine Rafick in association with Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos, had expressed surprise on Friday evening when informed that the media were denied entry.
The defence lawyer had contended it was an attempt by police to hide the brutal treatment meted out to her client. Rafick, De Santos reported, was beaten across the back, rear end and other parts of his body. He was reportedly burnt on the tongue by one of three policemen, named by the lawyer, accused of torturing him.
Several lawyers also voiced their concerns yesterday about what they described as the “growing controlling manner” of the police force. A Senior Counsel, who declined to be named, stressed that the media were not the only ones being “denied access” by police. Many lawyers, the Senior Counsel said, have been denied access to their clients and are not provided with “proper” reasons by police.
“I have been in this profession since the days when police cooperated with lawyers, respected them and allowed their clients the rights afforded to them by the constitution… I can tell you today that this is no longer the case. Now police are no longer willing to work with lawyers in the best interest of our justice system,” the Senior Counsel said.
The attorneys further said the action of police at the Wales Police Station last Friday was clearly not in accordance of the law since media representatives were conducting themselves in a professional manner and did nothing to disturb the peace or show contempt to the police or court.
“I am forced to agree with Pamela De Santos,” the Senior Counsel continued, “because I can see no other reason, than a need to hide their black deeds, that police would have to deny the media access to the court.”
All Police Stations should affix printed notices,in large black and white letters,in relation the rights,and entitlements,of all persons detained at Police Stations.Down with torture,and Police brutality!!!
Fear!
“Efforts to contact the Magistrate to confirm the police’s version were futile”, says the newspaper.
No doubt she [the Magistrate] is petrified of being consequence by the PPP government if she contradicts their version of events. A police state is what Guyana has now become under the PPP government. The PPP arm forces are being used to strike fear into the hearts of its’ citizens.
If a powerful magistrate is intimidated to speak out against the PPP government then what chance does an ordinary citizen stand.
Fear!
It is the Tax Payers who pay the Salaries of some professionals,and they should let their consciences be their guide.Those who try to cover up,and remain silent,are just as bad as the offenders.Those policemen who are honest,should blow their whistles on the “Rotten Eggs”.Down with alleged killings,torture,brutality,and “ROUGHING UP”.The future of Guyana,is in the hands of our children.Enough is enough.
SN an de ada media pepol should know dem banas who bar dem…
easy to point out…go after dem too…..
It seems like someone is lying here, the magistrate can’t be found to make a statement, the going back and forward with the police of not letting the media in, what a shame.
So who gave the instruction?
was it form the pee pedee po to the po po and the magistrate?
somebody tell bolggers who?????????????? I want to know also………….
S.N. do some more leg work here before this bolgger die from knee pain.
everyone knows that this is the police force that is inherietd by the govt of the day.
what nonsense you talking. when you inherit something you either improve on it or you get rid of it and get something new. the pee pee pee have done neither. this tells you after 17 years the pee pee pee still aint reddy. that last part rings a bell..hahahahahaha.
JB,then yuh gon conplain about marginalisation…Yuh think yuh smart!!!
lambada seventeen years is a very long time to effect changes in the state of affairs of the country
dictatorship rule just like burnham
No Shark pay close attention to the lawyer’s remarks “in the past police and lawyers cooperated to allow due process” today that is not happening” period.
Kingshark..that is silly to say,that will never move guyana forward
Henry Green and Rohee just focusing on how they can throw Benschop in jail every time they get an opportunity.
Oliver Hickenson was accuse and put in jail. They found hin not Guilty.
No jail for Roger Khan the drug lord and the many others who were with his gang.
The whole PPP Government should go they are a disgrace to Guyana and the Guyanese Nation.
The tortour of this 14 years old boy is on the international News every where. Out of shame Rohee, Green and Manickchand made a statement.
the magistrate did not lock out the media. I DID. find me to verify if i did.
ROYAL RUN AROUND FOR REPORTERS
WHAT A SHAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!