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– slams force for attack on Darren Wade
The APNU+AFC Coalition has condemned what it described as the irresponsible and reckless press release issued by the Guyana Police Force on Thursday, which it said is aimed at disparaging and impugning attorney-at-law Mr. Darren Wade.
This press release represents a new low for the Guyana Police Force which has been busy in recent weeks executing a campaign of political terror and persecution and violating and infringing on the rights of innocent Guyanese citizens, the coalition said in a statement Thursday afternoon. Wade had told the media Tuesday night that he was denied the right to properly speak to his client Clairmont Mingo who was taken into custody.
But in a statement the Guyana Police Force (GPF) refuted allegations that Mingo’s constitutional rights were breached by the Force. The force explained that Mr Mingo was taken into custody on Tuesday on allegations of electoral fraud committed at the March 2, General and Regional Elections.
The police explained that shortly after Mr. Mingo arrived at the CID Headquarters, Eve Leary, his Attorney Darren Wade turned up and demanded an immediate conference with him. “The police rank on duty directed the Attorney to a designated area where access to his client would be granted after the rank had completed making the necessary entries in the Police records,” GPF said in a statement today.
It continued that instead of waiting in the area indicated, and without any explanation, Mr. Wade immediately left the CID Headquarters compound and met with several members of the media on the roadway where he made “some false allegations.” “Noteworthy, however, is the fact that after this, the Attorney returned into the CID Headquarters where he met with his client Mr Mingo.”
The Guyana Police Force said it remains ready to engage with members of the Legal Profession to ensure that their constitutional rights along with those of persons they represent are respected at all times with due process. “In this regard, however, the Police Force expects that Attorneys-at-Law conduct themselves in a professional manner and with a due sense of responsibility in keeping with the ethical standard required of the Legal Profession.”
GPF noted that there are designated areas at Police locations which allow for privilege conversations. “Consequently, members of the public and of the Legal Profession who engage members of the GPF at any Police location ought to follow the directions of any Police Rank/Ranks on duty as it relates to access to persons in Police custody,” the statement said.
The coalition however took umbrage with the police’s statement, noting that it is seeking to impugn the character of a hardworking, professional attorney-at-law who has been exemplary in representing the interest of his clients within the confines of the law. “Mr. Wade was clearly and unconstitutionally denied an opportunity to consult with his client and he made immediate efforts to report this to the waiting media. Mr. Wade was fully entitled to so do.
The Guyana Police Force, in what was a clumsy attempt to distract attention from their own unprofessionalism and breaches of the constitutional rights of citizens, hastily fired off the reckless media release. The APNU+AFC Presumptive Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Joseph Harmon, has already dispatched formal letters to numerous international organizations, including the United Nations, Amnesty International, Commonwealth and CARICOM along with numerous foreign governments, detailing the actions of the the Guyana Police Force in recent weeks as they unconstitutionally persecute citizens while ignoring orders of the court,” the release stated.
“The APNU+AFC puts the Guyana Police Force on notice that it will not tolerate its egregious and flagrant disregard for the law, the courts and the constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens and that it will fight against such actions and report them internationally. Further, where appropriate, strident legal action will be unrelentingly pursued against the Guyana Police Force, its leadership and officers for breaches of the law and trespassing on the constitutional rights of citizens,” the statement added.
