Businessman Salim Azeez was on Tuesday detained in connection with police investigations into the fatal shooting at Mambo Bar but was released less than 24 hours later after his lawyers filed Habeas Corpus proceedings.
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud told Stabroek News yesterday that investigators had received some information about the matter. He said that ranks had gone to the man’s home but he was not there. According to Persaud, the man turned himself in to police in the company of his attorney.
He said that High Court proceedings were subsequently filed on behalf of the man and as such he was sent on bail
during the morning hours (yesterday). Persaud that said investigations are continuing into the shooting incident which occurred two Sundays ago and left Shelliza Lall, 33 years, of Charity dead. Her husband Raymond Lall, 36 years, of Charity, Essequibo Coast, Permanand Persaud, of Mon Repos, ECD and Babatunde Nedd, of Parika, EBE were injured during the attack which occurred around 0020 hours.
Persaud did not name the person who was detained but the court documents which were seen by this newspaper identified him as Azeez, the proprietor of an aqua farm and resident of Lot 17 North Section Canal No. 2 Polder, West Bank Demerara.
The High Court Notice of Motion was prepared and filed by attorneys at law Peter Hugh, Latchmie Rahamat and Onasis Granville on behalf of Luknauth Chan, a friend of Azeez. The Commissioner of Police and the Commander `A’ Division were listed as the respondents.
The application was made before Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang on Tuesday and an order was made for the businessman to be produced before the court at 11:30am today.
Chan in his affidavit in support of the motion said that Azeez was being detained unlawfully at the Brickdam Police Station. He said that on October 8 (Tuesday) he accompanied Azeez along with his lawyer to the Station around 8:30 am and meet with Mr. Jessemy. It was stated that he was then taken into custody.
According to the document on October 3, police went to the businessman’s home and later left since he was not there. Subsequently Azeez checked with the Wales Police Station but was told that they were not looking for him.
It was stated that on October 7 (Monday) Azeez saw an article in the Kaieteur News which referred to the police looking for a businessman that may have fit his description. A copy of the article was attached to the application that was filed in the court.
The court document said that given the fact that police had visited his home coupled with the newspaper article he made inquiries at CID Headquarters as to whether he was wanted for any reason. Counsel was retained and he was able to ascertain that Azeez was wanted for questioning in relation to a shooting incident at a bar in Kitty.
Chan expressed belief that Azeez did not commit any crime and had no knowledge of any crime. He said in the documents too that he feared that Azzez “is being subjected to torture and other inhumane treatment calculated to cause him to sign a false statement or implicate himself in some criminal activity”.
Police had arrested a man who they believed was the target and who might have had vital information about who was behind the shooting. He was detained and then released after questioning. Reports are that the man was present at the time at the time of the shooting but vanished afterwards. He was arrested in Essequibo several days later.
To date police are still looking for the two gunmen who walked up to the doorway, aimed their guns at a table where several persons were sitting and opened fire. Others who were at the table have denied that they were the targets.
