The Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) yesterday refuted claims by attorney-at-law Jerome Khan that a 23-year-old pregnant client of his was maltreated while in custody, kept beyond the 72 hours legally mandated, released on her own recognizance and told to later return to the unit’s Lethem office.
In a letter published in yesterday’s edition of this newspaper, Khan made other allegations, including that one of the investigating ranks had informed his client that he would seek him out and slap him. CANU’s press release, issued yesterday, responded to the allegations made in relation to 23-year-old Lorlyne Jeffreys.
According to CANU, on June 24th, acting on information, its officers went to 156 Tabatinga, Lethem, Jeffreys’ home which is fenced. (Khan in his letter had said that the yard was unfenced.) According to CANU, the property is fenced in, there is a concrete house and a store room about four feet from the house. At the time, the release said, Jeffreys was the only occupant of the premises and a search was conducted in her presence which revealed a quantity of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis in the storeroom.
The CANU ranks immediately made a request for a woman police officer from the Lethem Police Station to assist in escorting Jeffreys to the Lethem Police Station.
“At the Lethem Police Station, while being processed, Ms Lorlyne Jeffreys indicated that she was pregnant and as a result a decision was made that Jeffreys would not be placed in the lockups but rather be kept in the Enquiries Office pending investigation. It must be noted that at no time was Ms Jeffreys handcuffed or placed in any lockups, whilst she was in custody,” the CANU release said.
The unit said that the young woman was allowed to contact her lawyer on an officer’s cellular phone and she was interviewed by a rank after which she divulged certain information and was subsequently released on her own recognizance with instructions to report to CANU’s office in Lethem at a later date.
“While in CANU’s custody Ms Lorlyne Jeffreys made no complaint of feeling unwell or of experiencing any discomfort. Ms Lorlyne Jeffreys was not kept in CANU’s custody beyond the statutory 72 hours,” CANU said while adding that it remains compliant with the Laws of Guyana and the rights of citizens.
Severe side effects
Khan, in his letter, claimed that his client being forced to remain in custody beyond the legal 72 hours without a court order, suffered severe side effects as a result of having to sit on a chair and bench for protracted periods of time and not being allowed to move around.
“Her feet were swollen, back aching and she began to experience side effects that still could impair her pregnancy. Despite her obvious painful condition, she was subjected to rigorous interrogation by CANU ranks headed by one Quinsi Holder,” Khan said in the letter.
The lawyer said he later contacted Holder and their conversation was cordial. He then had reason to contact the officer again after his client was moved to an unknown location.
“I advised him that my client has nothing new to provide to him, but he insisted in a most aggressive, arrogant, rude and disrespectful manner, to state he can interrogate her, notwithstanding being warned about violating her legal and constitutional rights and protection,” Khan wrote.
The lawyer said he told Holder that his efforts should be focused on recovering the diamonds stolen from a Surinamese citizen.
Two CANU officers, Annick Hossanah and Jamine Goddard, are before the court for this alleged crime.
Khan also claimed that his client informed him that CANU officer Ryan Williams told her that he would seek him out when he returns to Georgetown and slap him because he mentioned the missing diamonds and was being disrespectful.
“Notwithstanding my protestation, and my client’s protest, the CANU group in Lethem… proceeded doing video interviews on 2 separate occasions with my 6 months’ pregnant client. She refused to do the interview but was forced to participate. Late yesterday afternoon my client was released on her own recognizance, after being detained for more than 72 hours,” Khan said in the letter.
The woman is to return to CANU on Monday.
Khan also said in his letter that as a lawyer who represents clients who are charged by CANU, he has been told that the officers always ask for bribes to drop matters.
“When none could be given, the CANU tact changes to aggression, physical beatings, etc to extract admission and confession. I am currently involved in a matter, where my clients instructed me that $10 million was demanded from them to be released. Because they could not pay the bribe demanded, they were stripped naked, tied like iguanas, waste oil poured over their bodies, and a rag lit and passed over them, threatening to cremate them alive. Because this matter is still sub-judice, I will not divulge any more details, save and except to say, that the example provided above is not dissimilar to the experience of other persons detained by CANU, and told to me,” Khan said in his letter.
