Two businessmen have filed contempt proceedings in the High Court against the Divisional Commander of ‘D’ Division Balram Persaud for flouting separate court orders and failing to return their respective firearms which were seized by the police.
Businessman Shabbir Baksh of New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara, filed the proceedings through his attorney Anil Nandlall, saying that the Commander breached a Full Court order granted by acting Chief Justice Ian Chang and Justice Rishi Persaud, dated December 3, 2010.
The court order, he said, had compelled the Commander to return his .32 semi automatic Pistol, No. FWK27884, held under firearm licence No. G6572, dated the April 26, 2006. No appeal has been filed against the said Full Court order, Baksh said, yet the commander has refused to return the firearm.
Baksh sent the Commander a few lawyer’s letters calling on him to return the firearm following the court order, but the police continue to hold the firearm.
Farmer Ramdyal Boodhan of Zeelugt, East Bank, Essequibo, also filed contempt proceedings against the Commander to have his firearm returned. The gun is a Maverick single barrel, 12-gauge shotgun, number MV70044J, held under firearm licence number G-86614, dated March 8, 2010.
Boodhan, who is also represented by Nandlall, noted that the acting Chief Justice granted an order in his favour on December 15, 2010, but that the police have refused to return the firearm though the Commander was served with the court order. No appeal has been filed in this matter either.
The matter comes up for hearing later this month.
