Military-type equipment belonged to Azad Bacchus - sister-in-law
Relatives move to court for detainees to be produced
By Samantha Alleyne Stabroek News
August 15, 2002
Relatives of two Berbicians held following the unearthing of military-type equipment yesterday moved to the High Court seeking to have them produced in court and one of them said that the goods belonged to deceased notorious criminal Azad Bacchus.
The wife of Salim Bacchus and a friend of Mohamed Shahuruddin moved to the High Court through their lawyers, Basil Williams and Nigel Niles before Justice Claudette La Bennett who ordered that among other things that acting Commissioner of Police, Floyd Mc Donald produced the two men no later than tomorrow.
The lawyers applied for writs of Habeas Corpus and La Bennett after hearing their submissions ordered that sealed and certified copies of the relevant documents be served on McDonald.
Bacchus and Shahuruddin were arrested along with Amanda Sireli-Dos, a Brazilian national and Sockhia Yohen, a Surinamese national, on Monday morning during a police/army operation.
Shahuruddin, who is also called `Plantain' was detained at his Lot 168, Albert Street, Number 79, Corriverton residence while Bacchus was arrested at his 138 Linepath D, Corriverton home. The two foreign nationals were found at his home. Bacchus is the brother of notorious criminal Azad Bacchus who was shot dead earlier this year by the Berbice Anti-Smuggling Squad.
At the home of Bacchus, ranks also found and seized a 3-VHF base station radio, a 1-VHF base station radio, five cellular phones, one pair of night vision goggles, one Silva navigation map plotter, one blank Republic of Suriname passport, one Guyana passport #0958738 issued to Neil Chasawa, one Netherlands passport issued to Ricardo Doekhi, one Suriname immigration stamp, one Suriname Nickerie stamp, one date stamp, and eight packs of firecrackers.
A release from the army had said that the arrests came as Operation Tourniquet - its exercise with the police - intensified activities to identify criminals who have been attempting to purchase army kit. The arrests also came in the wake of the detention of four members of the GDF on Friday and Saturday over the sale and attempted sale of weapons.
In the writ filed for Bacchus by his reputed wife, Bebi Afrize Zaleel, his address was listed as Lot 42 Race Course, Corriverton. Zaleel said her husband was self employed and was taken into custody since August 12.
Speaking to Stabroek News through her lawyer, Zaleel said that herself and husband were at their Race Course home at around 8:30 am on Monday when ranks from the police and the army visited. She said they were standing on the bridge at the time and the two foreigners, who are their visitors, were just about to leave in a taxi when they were all apprehended.
According to the woman nothing was found at their Race Course home but the law enforcement officers later took her husband to the Linepath house, which was once occupied by Azad Bacchus and other family members including Salim, and searched and found the articles. She is claiming that the articles do not belong to Salim but rather they were the property of Azad Bacchus and that the radios are not in working condition. The woman also said that yesterday afternoon police ranks jumped the fences surrounding both properties and searched the homes although no one was there.
The woman is presently in Georgetown attempting to have her husband released.
Stabroek News contacted Shahuruddin's reputed wife, thirty-five-year-old Amanita Sahadeo, and she said that her husband was a poor man and was being wrongly held by the police as he was found with nothing illegal.
Sahadeo said that it was about 6 am on Monday when they heard a knocking on the door. She said since their gate was padlocked it meant that the law enforcement officers scaled the fence.
According to her, Shahuruddin opened the front door and was greeted with the sight of around 30 soldiers and policemen who immediately ordered him to put his hands in the air, kneel and not to say anything. She said that they told him that they were looking for guns and ammunition and proceeded to search the house. While some of them were searching the house and photographing all the occupants of the house, Sahadeo said that her husband was handcuffed and placed in a vehicle. The ranks also searched the home of the man's mother, who lives in the same yard, and the entire yard but nothing was found.
The woman also refuted yesterday's Stabroek News report that her husband was the man who imported a container which contained military surplus which was later donated to the police and the army. She said her husband was employed as a conductor and has never left the shores of Guyana. According to her there is another man who lives in Crabwood Creek who shares her husband's alias and there was speculation yesterday that the police had held the wrong man.
Up to late yesterday afternoon the men had not been charged with any offence and all the police were willing to say is that investigations were continuing.
Meanwhile the army is continuing investigations into the sale and attempted sale of army weapons for which four soldiers are being held. Stabroek News was told that the four have since retained lawyers while investigation continue and are expected to be courtmartialled as soon as investigations conclude.
Explaining the court martial procedure, attorney-at-law, Joe Harmon said under the Defence Rules of Procedure enacted in 1977 Chapter 15:01 Article 21 states that the convening of court martial depends on the offence committed.
Harmon said that the convening is done by the Chief of Staff who then appoints the president or chairman of the court-martial board. He said that two or three other members will also be appointed to the board along with an additional two persons who would be on standby just in case one of those appointed is unable to sit for one reason of another.
There will be a new board for each new court martial.
The attorney said since the members of the board are military persons they are guided by a judge advocate who advises them on the law and procedural matters. At the moment Senior Counsel Donald Robinson is the judge advocate for court-martials.
He said that those charged will have a chance to choose a lawyer to defend them or they could also pick an officer from the army who they feel is capable of defending them. Should they do none of the above, the army will provide free legal services for them.
At end of the trial the board will summarise the evidence with advice from the judge advocate and will arrive at a decision to be confirmed by the Chief of Staff.