Paul Slowe will plead not guilty to charges – counsel

Paul Slowe
Paul Slowe

Chairman of the Police Service Commission and former Assistant Commissioner Paul Slowe will be vigorously defending the allegations and criminal charges of conspiracy to defraud and sexual assault.

This is the word from his lawyer Selwyn Pieters.

In a press release today on behalf of Slowe, Pieters said that the Guyana Police Force Corporate Communications Unit has levelled false allegations and tarnished the good name and reputation of a series of former and current senior police officers, including Slowe who has had a distinguished 37 years of service as a police officer. 

“The allegations of conspiracy to defraud is false. Work was done on the (police) standing orders. There was no timeline in which the work was to be completed. The National and Regional Elections held in Guyana on the 2nd March, 2020 caused the process to be suspended. In the lead up to the elections, the location in which meetings were held became unavailable due to use by the Guyana Police Force for elections purposes. Further, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. The Election Situation in Guyana which was resolved in August 2020 and the compounding COVID-19 pandemic, made meetings to deal with finalization of the Standing Orders not feasible. In addition, Mr. Slowe has other duties in relation to his constitutional position as Chairman of the Police Service Commission and his paid employment which takes him overseas”, Peters said.

He added that the allegations of sexual assault levelled against Slowe are also false.

“The claim that (the complainant)  reported the matter to Assistant Commissioner Andries-Junor is also false. No touching at any time took place at any meetings Mr. Slowe attended”, Pieters said. 

“Mr. Slowe is presumed innocent and will be pleading not guilty to these charges. His criminal lawyers will be vigorously defending this matter and look forward to the truth coming out in a court of law.

Because of the inflammatory manner in which the Guyana Police Force Corporate Communications Unit is peddling these false allegations the public’s record must be set straight and also, to protect the character and careers of Mr. Slowe, members of the Police Service Commission and Senior Police Officers, whose image the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and Corporate Communications Unit seeks to besmirch for collateral purposes having to do with disciplinary matters at the Police Service Commission involving several Senior Superintendents and the promotions of Senior Police Officers that has occupied the Court since January 2021.

Mr. Slowe also intends to vindicate his reputation from the defamation that is being peddled”, the press release said.